Brady Oliveira still has more defenders to run through, more first downs to chase, two more victories to dream about and still much more history to make.
The Canadian Football League’s West Final, after all, is still 10 days away with Oliveira and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers waiting impatiently for the winner of this weekend’s West Semi-Final between the B.C. Lions and Calgary Stampeders.
All that said, Oliveira had his own ticket officially punched for the 110th Grey Cup on Wednesday as he was named as the West Division finalist for both the Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian Player Awards, to be announced during Grey Cup week.
“It’s pretty surreal,” began Oliveira Wednesday in a conference call with local media. “Just making it out of the West, there’s lots of people it could have gone to, so still definitely shocked. I’m very thankful that the work I’ve been putting in, my production on the field, and my consistency, didn’t go unnoticed. Definitely pleased with that.”
Joining Oliveira for the awards night during Grey Cup week will be right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick – named the West Division’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman – and head coach Mike O’Shea, who is a Coach of the Year finalist once again. The goal now, clearly, is to make sure everyone in Blue Bombers colours makes the trek as West Division champions.
Oliveira is the first Winnipegger to be nominated for the league’s MOP award and it could be said no one waves the Winnipeg, Canadian and Blue Bomber flags more fervently than the 26-year-old product of the North Winnipeg Nomads/Oak Park Raiders; a player who grew up watching franchise icons before his college days at the University of North Dakota.
“I never would have thought that this would have happened,” Oliveira said. “Growing up in the city here and watching superstars like Milt Stegall and Charles Roberts — guys that had successful careers in this league — I knew that there would come a time when I could pursue this passion and maybe be in their footsteps, but I never really thought it would be like this. I never thought I’d be getting these nominations so early in my career.
“I always felt I could be an elite player and be at the top of my game in this league and be one of the top players in this league, but I didn’t think it would come so early in my career. It’s exciting man. I know I can continue to get better, and I know the sky’s the limit for myself.
“This Winnipeg boy is hungry, man, hungry for more. And the job’s not done yet. I’m really excited and looking forward to the postseason.”
As he has done all season, Oliveira was quick to praise the work of the offensive line in front of him and all those who helped along his journey.
“Getting to know each and every one of these guys and hanging out off the field … they’re my brothers,” Oliveira said of the O-line. “I’ve really got so much love for them, and we’ve gotten extremely close this past season. It shows, I really do think it shows. I battle every single week for my teammates, especially that offensive line. When that O-line is in there and I’m in there, you really do see them finishing guys and staying on a block a little bit longer for me. I truly do believe that because of how close we’ve gotten, as a unit.
“I truly do believe this is the best offensive line in the league and they’re the toughest and most disciplined and they’re a bunch of grinders.”
The Blue Bombers, FYI, have had at least one finalist for one of the six Most Outstanding Player Awards every year since 2015. And this year marks the fifth straight season at least three members of the organization – including O’Shea – have been nominated for a league award.
Dating back to 2016, at least one Blue Bomber has won a league award each season – Zach Collaros (MOP, 2021, 2022), Stanley Bryant (Offensive Lineman, 2022, 2021, 2018, 2017); Dalton Schoen (Rookie, 2022); Adam Bighill (Defence, 2021, 2018); Willie Jefferson (Defence, 2019); Andrew Harris (Canadian, 2017); Justin Medlock (Special Teams, 2016) and O’Shea (Coach of the Year, 2022, 2021).
Here’s a look at the Blue Bombers named as finalists for the CFL Most Outstanding Player Awards:
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER/MOST OUTSTANDING CANADIAN PLAYER: Brady Oliveira
Position: Running back
East Division finalists: MOP – Chad Kelly, QB, Toronto Argonauts; Canadian – Marc-Antoine Dequoy, S, Montreal Alouettes
Oliveira’s 2023 numbers: Winnipeg’s own led the CFL in rushing with 1,534 yards and 13 touchdowns (nine rushing, four receiving), averaging 85.2 yards per game and posting seven 100-yard contests. Oliveira also had 482 receiving yards on 38 receptions – both career highs – and his 2,016 yards from scrimmage (rushing and passing) led the CFL. Oliveira’s rushing total is the second most by a Canadian in league history, behind only the 1,813 Jon Cornish amassed in 2013 as a member of the Stampeders and the sixth highest total in Blue Bombers history.
FYI: Oliveira is the first player to be named the club’s MOP and top Canadian since defensive end Jamaal Westerman in 2015… The last time a Blue Bombers player was a finalist for two CFL MOP awards was Charles Roberts in 2001, when he finished as the runner-up as the Most Outstanding Rookie (Barrin Simpson, LB, B.C.) and was named the Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman: Jermarcus Hardrick
Position: right tackle
East Division finalist: Dejon Allen, RT, Toronto Argonauts
Hardrick’s 2023 numbers: The Blue Bombers string of having an offensive lineman represent the West in this category has grown to six years, with Bryant having been the division’s top lineman the previous five seasons, winning league-wide honours four times.
Hardrick anchors the right side of the offensive line that helped the offence lead the league in points (33.0), net offence (414.7 yards per game), rank first in rushing yards (139.1 per game), time of possession (32 minutes and 50 seconds) and has the league’s leading rusher in Oliveira and the top-rated passer in Collaros. Winnipeg’s 33 sacks allowed tied for second in the CFL with Calgary, with Toronto first at 19.
FYI:
Coach of the Year finalist: Mike O’Shea
East Division finalist: Ryan Dinwiddie, Toronto Argonauts.
O’Shea is the reigning COY, having won this award in both 2021 and 2022, He helped guide the Blue Bombers to 14 wins this season – tied for second-most in franchise history to last year’s 15 — and a first-place finish in the West Division for a third straight year.
He now has a 96-62 record as the Blue Bombers head coach since joining the club in 2014, with that total second-most in franchise history to Bud Grant (102).
The Blue Bombers have consistently been one of the least-penalized teams in the CFL under O’Shea’s watch – they were again in 2023 — and are chasing a fourth consecutive Grey Cup appearance and third championship after winning in 2019 and 2021 before falling to Toronto last year.
FYI: O’Shea (2021 and 2022) and Cal Murphy (1983 and 1984) are the only two Blue Bombers coaches to win this award in consecutive seasons, dating back to its inception in 1961. The other coaches to be honoured were Dave Ritchie (2001), Mike Riley (1988, 1990) and Bud Grant (1965).
