Stanley Bryant, Patrick Neufeld mulling retirement with Winnipeg Blue Bombers

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Including the playoffs, Stanley Bryant and Patrick Neufeld have played nearly 400 games with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

They may have also played their last.

Though neither of the veteran offensive linemen have made a final decision regarding their futures, both indicated they’re mulling retirement after the team’s recent loss to the Montreal Alouettes in the East Final.

“I’ve got to talk to my family. It’s gonna be more of a thought process this offseason. I’ll speak with my family, and we’ll make a decision on what’s best for me and my family. I can’t say right now,” said Neufeld.

“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. I just want to make sure I do what’s best for them.”

The three-time All-CFL selection, who will turn 38 next month, started all but one game this season. He missed the matchup to attend the birth of twins in June.

“You kind of feel selfish sometimes because of how much you put on your loved ones and the time away from them. It’s a respect thing and it’s all hands on deck. Having twins, though, it was tougher. It’s not like one baby is crying — both of them are crying. A lot of night duties and some severely sleepless nights made things tough,” he said.

“It’s a contemplation for sure, this year. I’ve said in years past that right away I was ready to come back, but this year, it’s contemplation. I’ll take time with my family, I’ll take time to let the dust settle a bit, and we’ll figure something out.”

The Blue Bombers held their locker room clean-out day on Sunday. The offensive line emerged near the end of the media period after an emotional position meeting.

“We cried a bit. Everything’s kinda cool now, but you’ve got to sit back and reflect on it and somehow make a decision at some point,” said Bryant. “I’ve been playing this game for a long time, Patty’s [sic] been playing for a long time. It’s gonna be hard but we’re gonna try to make the right decision for ourselves and just for this team as well.”

“I had my mind set on us being in Grey Cup next week, so it’s still fresh in my mind right now, so just hanging with you guys now, just to see how the next few days go.”

It was a middling season for Winnipeg’s offensive line.

The unit helped Brady Oliveira win his third rushing title, while Jarell Broxton was named the league’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman.

However, the line also allowed the most sacks in the CFL, which probably played a role in Zach Collaros missing time due to three different injuries.

Pro Football Focus credited Bryant with nine sacks allowed, which was the most of any player in the league. The eight-time All-CFL selection and four-time Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman acknowledged that there may have been some decline in his game.

“It was OK, not one of my best seasons, but that’s something I’ve gotta sit back and look at,” he said. “If I did want to play (in 2027), I feel like I still could play the game. It’s just something to sit back and think about.”

The 40-year-old was plagued by an ankle injury for most of the year, though he appreciated the team for helping him work through it.

“It was fine. You take certain medicine that you need to take to get through it to make you feel young again,” said Bryant. “(Head athletic therapist) Al (Couture) and his crew did a great job taking care of me, and the coaches, as well, giving me days off and being able to get ready for the game.”

Collaros had nothing but positive things to say about his longtime teammates.

“(They’re) the people that you want — leaders,” said the veteran quarterback. “You admire their work, you want to be like them in their approach to how they do their job. They’ve meant so much to this organization, they care so deeply about this organization, about the offensive line room and the team, and doing things the right way. It’d be very difficult for me to put a price on what those guys have meant to the organization.”

Neufeld and Bryant indicated they’ve discussed the future together, though they plan to make independent decisions about whether or not to play another season. Neither player is under contract for next year.

If the longtime teammates do decide to move on, Collaros wants both to be honoured appropriately.

“(Bryant’s) gotten all the recognition. He deserves more, and he’s been amazing, and it’s helped me so much in my career to have played behind him, for him to protect me, and so he should be honoured always. They should put a statue of him in front of this building,” he said.

“Patty Neufeld, what he’s meant to that room and to our offence since 2019 and beyond, we don’t accomplish what we have accomplished here — and I know that we’ve fallen short the last five years and not won the last game — but we do not accomplish what we accomplished here without Patty Neufeld. There’s just no chance.”

Click here for Winnipeg’s full list of pending free agents.