Get your fur coats out of storage. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are welcoming back a colourful fan favourite.
The club announced Wednesday that quarterback Chris Streveler — best known in Manitoba for his record-setting performance in the 2019 Grey Cup championship run and for his antics in the celebratory parade — will be a Bomber once more.
Streveler, who turned 29 earlier this month, is returning to the blue and gold after four seasons in the U.S., where he plied his trade for the National Football League’s Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, and briefly with the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins.
In an Instagram post following the announcement, Streveler said in a video he’s excited to get back with his teammates and the coaching staff.
“Coming home man,” said Streveler. “Cannot wait. Cannot wait. So excited to just play football. I’ve got passion for the game. I’ve got energy for the game. And I’m just excited to get to work.
“It’s been a journey down here these last couple years, bouncing around the NFL, fighting, and I’m excited to come back home up north to Winnipeg.”
The Illinois native first signed with Winnipeg in 2018, and memorably recorded 726 rushing yards in the 2019 season after starter Matt Nichols was injured, breaking the team’s previous record of 541, set by Hall of Famer Ken Ploen way back in 1960.
Despite moving on from Winnipeg and the CFL, Streveler was frequently seen supporting his former Bombers teammates, both on social media and as a spectator at last year’s Banjo Bowl.
The Bombers said Wednesday that the QB agreed to a one-year contract for his return to the Manitoba capital.