Manitoba sports news: Bryant and Neufeld have played nearly 400 games together protecting Blue Bombers quarterbacks, and with Stanley Bryant at 40 and Patrick Neufeld turning 38 next month, both men are now asking the hardest question of their careers.
Bryant and Neufeld are both mulling retirement after the Bombers 33 to 23 East Final loss to the Montreal Alouettes on November 7, 2026. Neither has made a final decision and neither is under contract for next season, so Winnipeg could lose both starting linemen in the same offseason.
By Maplestime News Desk | Winnipeg, Manitoba | November 12, 2026
Sources: 3DownNation, TSN | Last updated: November 12, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Stanley Bryant, 40, and Patrick Neufeld, who turns 38 next month, are both mulling retirement.
- The decision follows the Bombers 33 to 23 East Final loss to Montreal on November 7, 2026.
- Neither has made a final decision and neither is under contract for next season.
- Including playoffs, the two have played nearly 400 games with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
- Bryant is an eight time All CFL selection and a four time Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, and Neufeld is the team’s longest tenured player.
Why are Bryant and Neufeld thinking about retirement now?
The season ended on November 7, and the locker room clean out came on Sunday, November 8. The offensive line emerged from an emotional position meeting, and Bryant summed up the mood in three words: “We cried a bit.”
For both men, the question is the body, not the mind. Bryant has been plagued by an ankle injury for most of the year, and Pro Football Focus credited him with nine sacks allowed, the most of any player in the league. He said: “Mentally, I’m fine, but the body is a key factor.”
Neufeld put it the same way: “The toll this game takes on your body. I’m not getting any younger and things hurt more. With having three young kids, it changes things a lot.” His twins were born in June 2026, and he missed one game this season to attend their birth, then started all but one game.
Related: Blue Bombers East Final: O’Shea Tight Lipped On Collaros
What did the two linemen say about their futures?
Neither man is ready to call it. Neufeld said: “I’ve got to talk to my family. It’s gonna be more of a thought process this offseason… I can’t say right now.” The two have discussed their futures together, but they will decide independently.
The numbers explain why the decision is so heavy. Neufeld has played 13 of his 15 CFL seasons with Winnipeg, making him the team’s longest tenured player. Bryant is an eight time All CFL selection and a four time Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman. Together, including playoffs, they have played nearly 400 games in Blue and Gold.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers players lined up on the sideline. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, photographer and licence unverified
What happens to the Bombers if both walk away?
Quarterback Zach Collaros knows what Bryant means to this franchise. He said: “They should put a statue of him in front of this building.” Collaros himself is undecided on his own future and will likely not decide until January 2027. Extension talks began early in 2026 but were derailed by the neck injury he suffered on July 5 against Hamilton.
The offensive line still did real work this year. The unit helped Brady Oliveira win his third rushing title, and Jarell Broxton was named the league’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman. But the same unit allowed the most sacks in the CFL, and that contradiction is the story of the 2026 Bombers.
Not everyone is thinking about leaving. Willie Jefferson wants to keep playing. Even so, the Bombers have nearly 30 pending free agents for 2027, so the roster that lost the East Final will look very different next season whether the two linemen return or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have Bryant and Neufeld retired?
No. Neither has made a final decision, and neither is under contract for next season.
How long have the two linemen played for Winnipeg?
Including playoffs, the two have played nearly 400 games with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Neufeld has played 13 of his 15 CFL seasons with Winnipeg, making him the team’s longest tenured player.
When will Zach Collaros decide his future?
Collaros is undecided and will likely not decide until January 2027.
The entrance to Investors Group Field, now Princess Auto Stadium, home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Photo: Krazytea, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Maplestime will provide updates from the Blue Bombers as announcements are made.
Have a tip about this story? Email [email protected]
Have a correction? Email [email protected]
If both linemen walk away in the same offseason, does Winnipeg still have a Grey Cup calibre offensive line, or does the rebuild start in the trenches? Tell us in the comments. And share this with every Winnipegger who bleeds Blue and Gold.
Enjoying Maplestime? Support independent Canadian journalism — no paywall, no corporate owners.
