The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have signed CFL all-star offensive lineman Pat Neufeld to a one-year contract through the 2022 season.
The Regina native was scheduled to be a free agent on February 8. The six-foot-six, 311-pounder returns to the Bombers for what will be his 11th season in the three-down league and eighth with Winnipeg.
A versatile lineman who made starts at both right guard and right tackle for Winnipeg in 2021, Neufeld also earned the first all-star nominations in his career after being named to both the West Division and league all-star teams.
Neufeld played in 13 of 14 regular season games and in both the West Final and Grey Cup, helping the Bombers lead the CFL in scoring while surrendering the fewest quarterback sacks and finish second in rushing. His work was critical all year as the Bombers captured their second straight championship with a win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 108th Grey Cup.
Neufeld was injured just before training camp in 2019 and missed the first 12 games of the regular season. He returned to the starting lineup on September 21 in Montreal and lined up at his guard spot for the final six regular season games and all three playoff contests — including the 107th Grey Cup victory.
He was part of an offensive line that helped Andrew Harris capture his third consecutive rushing title while being considered among the best guards in the league, despite missing two-thirds of that year.
The 33-year-old Neufeld was originally selected by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the fifth round of the 2010 CFL Draft and was acquired by the Bombers in a trade in 2013 for DE Alex Hall and a second-round pick in the 2014 draft.
He has appeared in 119 regular season games, 82 with the Blue Bombers.