Willie Jefferson wants to play in 2027, even if it’s not with Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Photo: Vincent Ethier/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

Willie Jefferson plans to play his 13th season in the Canadian Football League in 2027, even if he has to leave the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to do so.

“I still feel like I have some good football left in me and things like that, so wherever it is that I am playing next year, I will be playing for sure,” said Jefferson on Sunday. “(Being back in Winnipeg’s) a possibility, so that’s something that I plan on getting to I guess in a couple of weeks and stuff like that, once the dust settles after Grey Cup.”

The 35-year-old, who will turn 36 in January, got off to a red-hot start in 2026. He recorded six sacks over Winnipeg’s first eight regular-season games, which was significant, as he tallied only three sacks in all of 2025.

Jefferson then went nine outings without a sack, until he notched one in Winnipeg’s regular-season finale. The veteran edge rusher finished the season with 23 defensive tackles, one tackle for loss, seven sacks, and 13 pass knockdowns. He ranked third league-wide in pass knockdowns and tied for eighth in sacks.

The six-time All-CFL selection has taken on a significant leadership role along the defensive line, helping mentor players like Michael Fletcher, David Reese, and Kydran Jenkins. Though some veterans are mulling retirement, it seems Jefferson believes the club’s future is bright.

“I think this team is going to look good. We have a lot of young talent, some guys that came in this year and made some big plays,” he said. “We’ve got some key acquisitions and things like that throughout the season, so me being a Bomber for the last six years, seven years, and things like that, I can honestly see the team going forward.”

The six-foot-six, 252-pound defender has 107 career pass knockdowns, placing him second in CFL history behind Eddie Davis. Jefferson needs only five more to surpass the longtime defensive back for first all-time, and it seems likely he’ll do so assuming he plays at least one more year.

CFL teams have had trouble finding dominant pass rushers in recent years. The B.C. Lions were forced to lure Lorenzo Mauldin IV out of the retirement earlier this season, while Shawn Lemon was brought in by the Toronto Argonauts.

Mauldin IV is almost two years younger than Jefferson, while Lemons is almost three years older. Both defenders played well, and the Argonauts have indicated they’d like to bring Lemon back for 2027.

The Blue Bombers cleaned out their lockers on Sunday, giving them a chance to reflect on the season. 2026 marked the first time Winnipeg didn’t have a winning regular-season record since 2015, four years before Jefferson arrived in Bomberland.

“It was a real roller coaster of a year. Had some highs, had some lows. Didn’t expect it to be this type of season, but we have a real resilient team, especially with the veterans that we have on this team, the experience that we have on this team, and then bringing in other guys from around the league with experience,” said Jefferson.

“Then also bringing in the young guys, the rookies, and stuff like that, seeing them grow throughout the season, and seeing how they was able to contribute throughout the whole season and things like that, so it was a good season. It just didn’t end the way we wanted it to.”

Jefferson is one of nearly 30 pending free agents in Winnipeg. Click here for the full list.