The Winnipeg Blue Bombers offered praise for longtime quarterback Chris Streveler as he appears to be heading to retirement.
“Unbelievable competitor, terrific leader. Leads in a variety of ways, but his actions are first and foremost,” head coach Mike O’Shea told the media via videoconference on Wednesday.
“The way he leads, it’s pretty evident from teammates that when he was out there on the field, what he was willing to do for his teammates would be second to none. It was also a great reminder to other guys of how much they need to give to this game for their teammates, so he was sensational.”
The 31-year-old passer spent four seasons with the Blue Bombers and it didn’t take long for him to become a household name. He started the first game of 2018, becoming the first CFL rookie quarterback to start a regular-season opener since Anthony Calvillo in 1994.
Streveler was arguably at his best during the team’s Grey Cup run in 2019, rushing 13 times for 82 yards in the West Semi-Final. He later revealed he played the game only three weeks after suffering a distal tibia fracture and a severe high-ankle sprain, which were initially considered season-ending injuries.
“His will to win (is what stood out most),” said general manager Kyle Walters. “He didn’t care about anything — the scoreboard at the end of the game, that’s it. He was willing to do anything and it showed that it did not matter. Winning the football game was the only thing that mattered and it was obvious and contagious that that was really the only thing that mattered to him.”
After NFL stints with the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets, Streveler returned to the Blue Bombers in 2024. He tore his ACL, MCL, and partially tore his PCL during the Banjo Bowl but completed his rehabilitation ahead of schedule, taking snaps on the first day of training camp in 2025 and starting the team’s regular-season opener.
“I wasn’t surprised. It’s not surprising, his work ethic would never be questioned,” said O’Shea. “In 2019, you saw firsthand — or we did inside the dressing room — the lengths he was willing to go to to be able to contribute, so it was pretty easy to understand that he could show up and compete.”
The six-foot-one, 222-pound passer re-tore his ACL in November and became a free agent in February. It appears his playing career is over.
Streveler posted a video to Instagram on Tuesday teasing what appears to be a retirement announcement. The video shows him hanging up jerseys from the Cardinals, Jets, and Blue Bombers, as well as his collegiate uniforms from the University of Minnesota and the University of South Dakota.
“Created something special to honour a chapter of my life that’s coming to a close,” wrote Streveler in the caption. “All love for the journey. Full video coming later this week.”
The native of Crystal Lake, Ill. threw for 4,144 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 31 interceptions over 66 career regular-season CFL games. He also rushed for 1,740 yards and 41 scores, often filling a short-yardage role.
“He was a guy that was willing to do whatever he could for his teammates,” said B.C. Lions head coach Buck Pierce, who coached Streveler for three of his four years in Winnipeg.
“Our relationship on and off the field was very, very special to me. I saw a lot of myself in Chris as a young quarterback, kind of the way that we played the game, how we approached the game every day, how we showed up to work. He was a guy that was really good in the room. As a guy that may not be getting all the snaps, or a guy that had a limited package, he would prepare as if he was a starter.
“I think if you asked a lot of the guys in that quarterback room or in that locker room about the value of Chris Streveler, they would all echo my words and say his value to that organization and what he brought to our offence, and what he brought as a teammate was very unique. I haven’t spoken to Chris, but I wish him the best. He’s going to be successful in anything that he does.”
With Streveler no longer under contract, the Blue Bombers currently have four quarterbacks on the roster for 2026: incumbent starter Zach Collaros, veteran backup Terry Wilson, and newcomers Bryce Perkins and Payton Thorne.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were active in free agency, signing receivers Tommy Nield and Tim White, offensive lineman Jarell Broxton, defensive lineman Jake Ceresna, linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox, and defensive back Jonathan Moxey. The team also suffered a few departures, including receiver Keric Wheatfall (Hamilton Tiger-Cats) and defensive lineman James Vaughters (Saskatchewan Roughriders). Jake Thomas, the team’s longest-tenured player, retired to become its defensive line coach.
The Blue Bombers hold the fourth overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. Winnipeg will play its first preseason game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, May 23 and its regular-season game against the Calgary Stampeders on Friday, June 5.
In 2025, Winnipeg finished fourth in the West Division standings with a 10-8 record, qualifying for the playoffs as the crossover team before losing the East Semi-Final to the Montreal Alouettes.
