‘Rather have the win on top of it’

Tommy Nield wasn’t in a position to fully embrace the milestone, though that didn’t prevent his teammates from recognizing the significance of the achievement.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers had just lost 37-27 to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in their home opener on Thursday, but Nic Demski was quick to hand out some deserving praise to a fellow receiver.

“Yeah, it’s crazy,” said Demski. “For him to not have a 100-yard game before, I’m a little bit surprised by that. But I think he has a couple more in his future here.”

That’s certainly the expectation after seeing how well that Nieldis fitting into the Blue Bombers offence after signing as a free agent in February.

Although the sample size is small, Nield already has 10 catches on 13 targets for 163 yards, including 111 yards against the Tiger-Cats.

“It’s now Year 6 for me and it’s my first 100-yard game,” said Nield. “I mean, it’s a positive to build off. I’ve really always known that I’ve been capable of doing something like that. It’s cool to have a 100-yard game, but I’d rather have the win on top of it.”

A three-time Grey Cup winner with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2025) and Toronto Argonauts (2022, 2024), Nield isn’t concerned about eye-popping statistics but he also recognizes he could grow into an important weapon in Tommy Condell’s offensive attack.

That’s why he spent time with Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros during the off-season, laying the foundation for what has already been on display in the early stages of this relationship.

“It’s been smooth,” said Nield, asked about the transition and joining a new team. “We were out there twice a week for a couple of months and it made a big difference. We hit the ground running and really drilled in each and every day, trying to build that chemistry on the field in practice, so that when we get out here in the game, it’s steady and we’re playing fast.

“I didn’t feel any hesitation when I got here. I knew what to expect and I was good to go.”

For the second time in as many weeks, the Bombers spread the ball around, as six players ended up with at least one reception — Nield leading the way with seven (on nine targets).

“We were just seeing the same thing out there. (Collaros) knew where I was going to be and I knew where he was going to throw the ball,” said Nield, who has amassed 115 catches for 1,474 yards and seven touchdowns during his career. “That combination usually works out pretty well.”

You get the sense Collaros sees the potential for big things as the season unfolds.

“He’s smart, he’s got a really wide catch radius,” said Collaros, who completed 28-of-35 passes for 421 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception on Thursday. “He’s fast. He can pretty much do everything. I think Tommy Condell has done a really good job of incorporating him and finding matchups, whether it’s man or zone, that are advantageous.”

It’s evident why Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea and general manager Kyle Walters made signing Nield as a free agent to bolster the receiving corps a priority.

“I see a guy who is extremely trustworthy,” said O’Shea. “He knows what he has to do, he knows where to be, he knows how to get there. He knows to be there on time. He’s got good hands. Smart guy. Big body. Moves really well. I think people would shortchange him if they discount his athleticism, too.”

Nield isn’t just limited to making catches, he also takes pride in opening up holes in the running game.

“He comes in with the right mindset and the right attitude every single day and he’s tough,” said Bombers running back Brady Oliveira, noting that Nield is the type of person that helps make the workplace environment more enjoyable. “He’s the ultimate teammate, the ultimate pro, the ultimate competitor.

“You see it when he catches the football, he’s got tough hands, he gets north and he’s not scared to put his shoulder down. He’s going to block in the run game. So, I’m really happy that he’s on our side.”

Nield nearly hauled in his first touchdown with the Bombers in the first quarter, but he wasn’t able to secure the throw in the right corner of the end zone.

There was also a scary moment earlier in the contest when Nield was involved in a collision with Tiger-Cats defensive back Jamal Peters, who was taken off the field on a stretcher and evaluated at a local medical facility before he was discharged.

“That hurt me to see,” said Nield. “I was teammates with Jamal in Toronto for a number of years, so I was definitely thinking a lot about him during the game and right now. I’m hoping that he’s okay.

“You never want to see anything like that happen.”

There was some positive news on that front as Peters took to social media on Friday to say that he’s been cleared by the medical team and that he’s OK.

Peters also expressed his gratitude for how the situation was handled by all of those involved.

winnipegfreepress.com/kenwiebe