Hero of 2021 Grey Cup signs extenstion with Bombers

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This article was published 15/12/2022 (643 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It looked like 2022 was going to be a special season for Kyrie Wilson.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers linebacker came out of the gates playing like an all-star, but in the fourth game of the year, a road tilt in Toronto on July 4, Wilson tore his Achilles tendon.

He didn’t play another down all season.

“It was tough at first, but at the same time, after it all happened, I came to peace with it,” said Wilson in a phone call with the Free Press on Friday.

“It’s football, things happen, and I just tried to stay positive all season. I wasn’t playing, but I tried to help out the players and the team if anyone had any questions during a game and stuff like that.”

Despite the setback, the Bombers still believe in the 30-year-old defender from Bakersfield, Calif. The club announced Friday that they had signed Wilson to a two-year contract extension.

Wilson, who registered 17 defensive tackles and a sack before the injury, was scheduled to hit free agency in February.

The Fresno State product joined the Bombers in 2017 after a short stint with the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent.

“It’s just special man. This is just home. I love the environment, the training staff, the whole team and the fans around us, it’s just home to me,” said Wilson, who flew back to California for the off-season on Friday.

“It wasn’t a question if I was going to wait to see who else is interested. I already made up my mind that I was going to come back at the end of the day. I was just waiting for the call.”

An Achilles tear is a challenging injury to fully recover from, but Wilson said he has no doubt in his mind that he can return to form. If last season was a little longer, Wilson might’ve had a shot at playing.

“It was close. The recovery went real well. I was ahead of my recovery time. If there was maybe another month or so, I would’ve probably been able to step out there and play,” said Wilson.

The 6-1, 221-pounder started the 2019 and 2021 Grey Cups at weak-side linebacker. He made the biggest play of his career in the ‘21 title game with a championship-clinching interception. For the 2022 Grey Cup, all Wilson could do was stand on the sideline and watch the Bombers lose a 24-23 heartbreaker to the Toronto Argonauts in Regina.

“It’s weird, when you’re not playing and you can’t do anything, you’re more nervous. I felt more nervous than when I was actually playing,” said Wilson.

Wilson believes that experience will make not only himself, but the team more motivated than ever heading into 2023.

“I think we left a lot of stuff on the field. Not that we weren’t focused, but I think we’ll be more focused than we were before now that we have that bad taste in our mouths for not finishing what we started. We’ll be more hungry, more focused, and more determined to get back to where we need to be.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31