Adam Bighill inks 2-year extension to stay in blue and gold

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are ensuring the pieces are in place for a run to the CFL's championship podium after coming one step short this past season.

The team on Tuesday announced it has re-signed another key component of its defence with a two-year contract extension for all-star linebacker Adam Bighill. The 34-year-old, who will enter his 11th CFL season in 2023, was scheduled to become a free agent in February.

A three-time Grey Cup champion — 2019 and 2021 with the Bombers and 2011 with the B.C. Lions — Bighill signed as a free agent with the Lions in 2011, after going undrafted in the NFL.

He signed with Winnipeg in 2018 and was named to the CFL All-Stars at the end of the season. He also took home the trophy as the league's most outstanding defensive player.

Bighill has played in 164 games in his CFL career, including 65 over the last four seasons in Winnipeg. He's been a CFL all-star six times and the league's most outstanding defensive player three times.

This past season, Bighill led the Bombers with 72 tackles, two sacks, one interception and one tackle for a loss.

Despite his success and helping the Bombers to a franchise-record 15 regular-season victories in 2022, Bighill is still stinging from Winnipeg's loss in the Grey Cup on Nov. 20.

The favoured team in the championship game, the Bombers were stopped short in their effort at a third consecutive Grey Cup, losing 24-23 to the Toronto Argonauts.

The Bombers posted a tweet about Bighill's re-signing on Tuesday and Bighill promptly retweeted it with the comment "unfinished business."

The Bombers also recently re-signed all-star defensive end Willie Jefferson, as well as offensive lineman Pat Neufeld, both to one-year extensions.

Quarterback Zach Collaros, the reigning two-time league MVP, inked a three-year contract extension back in October.

Head coach Mike O'Shea, who is in the final year of his contract, is also expected to re-sign. He is the CFL's longest-tenured head coach, completing his eighth season as Bomber bench boss.