Future Hall of Fame linebacker Adam Bighill returned to the practice field on Sunday in dramatically different colours, but he won’t have long to wait before seeing his familiar Blue and Gold.
The Calgary Stampeders’ new linebacker has begun preparations for Thursday’s clash with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the team where he spent the last six seasons of his career. However, it remains to be seen if the 36-year-old will be ready in time to take part in that contest, as he continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered in 2024.
“I wouldn’t bring Adam in unless I felt like he’s going to be the leader of the group. The problem is, he’s not quite healthy,” head coach Dave Dickenson said after practice. “We’ve got to make sure to get him back and actually do some on-field practice, and make sure that he’s feeling comfortable with things. When he’s comfortable and ready, obviously, I think he’ll be a big help for us.”
“He’s a little over nine months post-ACL. He looks pretty good, we’re just going to be a hair cautious.”
The Stampeders have been battered at the linebacker position so far this year, losing both Marquel Lee and Gary Johnson Jr. to significant long-term injuries. That led to the additions of Bighill and recently-released former Ticat starter Kyle Wilson over the course of the bye week, both of whom practiced in a limited capacity on Day 1.
Bighill had been a free agent since February, when the Bombers opted not to extend his contract. The 12-year CFL veteran made 48 defensive tackles and one sack over 10 starts in 2024 before suffering the season-ending knee injury on September 1. He’s putting his trust in head athletic therapist Stephen Wady to clear him as quickly as possible.
“Today is kind of just getting to know each other on where I am on return-to-play,” Bighill explained. “I feel like it’s close, feel like it’s really close. I can’t wait to get back out there, so I’ve just got to go through and check the boxes, if you will, on all the things that they want to see. I’m going to let them lead and got to put trust in the medical staff that we’re doing it the right way.”
If Bighill isn’t cleared by Thursday, he’ll miss out on a possible revenge game against the team he helped lead to five straight Grey Cup appearances. That doesn’t seem to bother the veteran, who says he bears no ill will towards Winnipeg for the decision to let him walk.
“I understand what they have going over there. They’ve got a great room of guys, a locker room that’s gotten older as you’ve gone more veteran. Me getting hurt with young guys in the fold, it makes sense that you’ve got to move on at times,” he said. “I’ve seen it throughout my career. When I was a rookie, saw veterans like Geroy Simon, for example, and then he went to Sask, and won a Grey Cup the next year. That’s what I’m focused on is doing what I need to do to help this team win a Grey Cup.”
The first step in that process might be giving his new team the inside track on his old one, revealing the secrets of a defensive playbook that he executed better than anyone and providing insight into an offence he faced every day in practice. Still, Bighill warns that he won’t have all the answers.
“Listen, I know Winnipeg inside and out. They know that. I know that they know that. They’re not dumb, they’re going to probably try to do some different stuff, which is fine,” he said. “At the end of the day, do what you do, play your game, take care of your business, and good things will happen. It’s just a matter of helping them understand the way they think or how they like to win games.”
That’s fine with Dickenson, who insisted the decision to sign the CFL legend had very little to do with this week’s opponent.
“It obviously doesn’t hurt that he played many years at Winnipeg and he’s got knowledge, but we didn’t bring him in for that,” he said. “We brought him in to be a player and to be the leader of that group, unfortunately, with Marquel going to the six-game. It won’t happen probably right away, but the sooner the better for us.”
The Stampeders (2-1) and Bombers (3-0) will kick off the inaugural Stampede Bowl at 9:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 3.
