Willie Jefferson agrees to 1-year extension with Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Defensive end Willie Jefferson agreed to a one-year extension with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday.

Jefferson was slated to become a free agent next month.

Jefferson, 34, enters his seventh season with Winnipeg and 12th in the CFL. The six-foot-seven, 244-pound Texan appeared in 17 regular-season games in 2025, recording 15 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble and league-high 16 pass knockdowns that tied the club record he set in 2019.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The 16 knockdowns were also the third-most in CFL history. And he enters 2026 with 46 sacks as a Blue Bomber, ranking him fifth all-time in franchise history.

A six-time CFL all-star, Jefferson was the league’s top defensive player in 2019. He has accumulated 77 career sacks and 94 pass knockdowns, the latter being the second-most in league history.

Jefferson is a three-time Grey Cup champion with Edmonton (2015) and Winnipeg (2019, ’21).