Winnipeg Blue Bombers QB Zach Collaros leaves Banjo Bowl with injury, doesn’t return

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The Winnipeg Blue Bombers may have defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Banjo Bowl on Saturday afternoon, but they lost quarterback Zach Collaros to a suspected upper-body injury in the process. Head coach Mike O’Shea did not provide an update on his status postgame.

Collaros exited the game late in the third quarter after throwing an interception to Seyi Oladipo Jr. The 38-year-old quarterback chased down the defender from behind and attempted to make the tackle along the sideline, appearing to land on his head and neck. He remained down momentarily and was briefly attended to by Saskatchewan’s training staff before returning to the Winnipeg bench.

Almost immediately after reaching his own sideline, he left for the locker room at a brisk jog. Collaros did not return, with the Blue Bombers later announcing via social media that he had been ruled out.

Prior to exiting the contest, Collaros completed 13-of-19 passes for 175 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Winnipeg led 13-3 at the time of the injury.

Backup quarterback Dru Brown entered the game in relief, and completed four-of-five passes for 46 yards. Winnipeg’s defence led the way by securing five turnovers, securing a 19-6 win.

Collaros has battled recurring neck injuries for the past couple of seasons. He was forced to miss four games earlier this year due to whiplash and was limited to 13 starts in 2025 due to the same issue. The six-foot-one, 218-pound pivot also has a history of concussions, which prompted his arrival in Winnipeg in 2019.

The two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player has appeared in nine games this year, completing 180-of-255 passes (70.5 percent) for 2,204 yards, 11 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Over the course of his CFL career, the Steubenville, Ohio, native has amassed 38,012 yards, 226 touchdowns, and 121 interceptions.

The Blue Bombers (7-6) are on a bye next week. They will return to action on Friday, September 25, when they will host the Toronto Argonauts.