Milt Stegall to return for one day of Blue Bombers rookie camp on Wednesday

[ModAdmin]

Milt Stegall to return for one day of Blue Bombers rookie camp on Wednesday

WINNIPEG, MB., May 6, 2024 - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce that Canadian Football Hall of Fame receiver and franchise icon Milt Stegall will be a participant on Day 1 of the club's rookie camp on Wednesday, May 8th.

The practice session is scheduled to run from 10:30 a.m.-12:55 p.m. at the field beside Winnipeg Soccer Federation South. Stegall, now 54, will also attend some team meetings that day. The session is open to fans.

Stegall (6-0, 184 and 'still thin in the waist and cute in the face', Miami University; born: January 25, 1970, in Cincinnati, OH) rejoins the Blue Bombers after officially retiring from the CFL following the 2008 season. He has been an analyst on CFL on TSN telecasts since 2009.

Stegall is a Blue Bombers legend and one of the most-decorated players in CFL history. He holds the CFL record for career touchdowns (147), most touchdowns in a season (23) and retired as the league's all-time receiving yardage leader (15,153) – a mark that was later broken by Geroy Simon. A nine-time CFL All-Star, Stegall holds many Blue Bombers receiving records including receptions (854), yards (15,153), touchdowns (144), 1000-yard receiving seasons (10) and most seasons leading the team in receiving (7). He broke into the CFL in 1995 and appeared in 199 CFL games – all with the Blue Bombers – including the 2001 and 2007 Grey Cups.

He was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2002, the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Player in 1997, 2000 and 2002 and was inducted in the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame in 2009, the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2012 and added to the Blue Bombers Ring of Honour in 2016. He was also recognized on several occasions for his work in the community, winning the Tom Pate Award in 2007, the Ed Kotowich 'Good Guy Award' in 2005 and 2007 and the Cal Murphy Heart of a Legend Award in 2006 and 2007.

[Blue In BC]

He'll still probably look better than some of the rookies even at 54 years old.

[LXTSN]

Obviously this is just to draw attention to the rookie camp... But won't this just draw eyes away from the guys actually competing for a spot on the team?
I'm hoping he doesn't take many reps away from the other 10-15 new WR's that we've brought in.
Still cool to see and I'm sure he will be able to provide advice to some of the young guns too.

[Blue In BC]

Obviously this is just to draw attention to the rookie camp... But won't this just draw eyes away from the guys actually competing for a spot on the team?
I'm hoping he doesn't take many reps away from the other 10-15 new WR's that we've brought in.
Still cool to see and I'm sure he will be able to provide advice to some of the young guns too.

I think he's just there we sign some autographs etc etc. He may run a few reps at a moderated speed. There a few QB's that will be there to throw passes to rookies. I don't think it takes long to separate the " also ran " from those that will go to the main TC.

There always a few no shows and a few that fail medicals or come to rookie camp out of shape. It wouldn't surprise me to see 2 or 3 releases after the 1st day.

[theaardvark]

Obviously this is just to draw attention to the rookie camp... But won't this just draw eyes away from the guys actually competing for a spot on the team?
I'm hoping he doesn't take many reps away from the other 10-15 new WR's that we've brought in.
Still cool to see and I'm sure he will be able to provide advice to some of the young guns too.

I think it is more for Milt's personal pride than to attract attention to "rookie camp".  I wouldn't be surprised if he's competitive with the rookie with no pads on... and you can bet there will be a fair number of clips of his rookie camp experience used throughout the year, most brought up during Milt's part of pregame or halftime pieces...

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I think it is more for Milt's personal pride than to attract attention to "rookie camp".  I wouldn't be surprised if he's competitive with the rookie with no pads on... and you can bet there will be a fair number of clips of his rookie camp experience used throughout the year, most brought up during Milt's part of pregame or halftime pieces...

They'll probably use it as a feature on a TSN broadcast this season, hopefully it's done quickly and later in the camp so it doesn't interfere with the process.

[VictorRomano]

Milt is the prototype of what it means to be a "professional football player" in Winnipeg.  If the other attendees will learn anything from him, it won't necessarily be about skills; it will be about how to prepare for practice, games, and how to act in a manner befitting a professional member of the Winnipeg Football Club.  It seems to me that many younger players would benefit from this (Chad Kelly, anyone?)

[Sir Blue and Gold]

...It's just for fun and to create some buzz and probably a few good social media moments (and maybe a TSN video and local news coverage). It's not going to interfere with rookie reps or otherwise create issues. The Bombers wouldn't be doing it if it would. It's not for "Milt's pride" in any real sense (he might play it up to be a little bit entertaining).

Not everything needs to be hyper serious or super literal all the time.

[theaardvark]

I'd bet most of the participants at rookie camp have never heard of Milt, but all will leave with a great respect for him.

It has been noted many times, by Milt himself, that the reason Milt is a broadcaster and not a coach is that he could never find a whole team of "Milts" that gave the same level of commitment to excellence as he does.  Sure, there are a handful of get there early, last to leave" guys on any team, but Milt is serious to the next level.

One day with the rookies will be a valuable exposure, and a lot of B roll for TSN.

The "Milt's pride" I was referring to is the fact that he stays in great shape, and still had the drive to compete in anything he does.  Now, if we could get a DB broadcaster out there... and maybe a QB to toss to them...

[VictorRomano]

It has been noted many times, by Milt himself, that the reason Milt is a broadcaster and not a coach is that he could never find a whole team of "Milts" that gave the same level of commitment to excellence as he does.  Sure, there are a handful of get there early, last to leave" guys on any team, but Milt is serious to the next level.

I remember a story from Milt's playing say that he got up every morning, starting in high school, and began his day with 100 situps and 100 pushups.  Through his entire pro career, Milt himself said he missed 2 days:  the day his first child was born, and one day that he was so sick he couldn't get out of bed.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

I remember a story from Milt's playing say that he got up every morning, starting in high school, and began his day with 100 situps and 100 pushups.  Through his entire pro career, Milt himself said he missed 2 days:  the day his first child was born, and one day that he was so sick he couldn't get out of bed.

I've listened to Milt speak a few times at different conferences and things and he had a very simple but effective way to explain his success.

I'm paragraphing, but essentially very early on in his career he realized he could or would not be the fastest or even most talented player on the field. He knew when he lined up against coverage at the beginning of the game they were likely to be every bit as good and quick as him. What he reasoned, was that if he was in better shape than everyone else, by the fourth quarter he could be the fastest player on the field. A simple idea but executing it took excruciating levels of commitment 365 days a year.

As an aside, it's also why him and Roberts had such a hilarious dynamic together and why Milt has some pretty funny stories. Polar opposites in every sense.

[BomberFan73]

He should have done it incognito, like Eli Manning did a few years ago. 

[The Zipp]

...It's just for fun and to create some buzz and probably a few good social media moments (and maybe a TSN video and local news coverage). It's not going to interfere with rookie reps or otherwise create issues. The Bombers wouldn't be doing it if it would. It's not for "Milt's pride" in any real sense (he might play it up to be a little bit entertaining).

Not everything needs to be hyper serious or super literal all the time.

I agree and hope to see some new features and a refreshed TSN this season. 

[GOLDMEMBER]

How did he look?

[Jockitch]

He looked fit and a real pro doing all the drills, I observed, bang on