Blue Bombers announce: Released from roster: National long snapper Mike Benson

[Blueforlife]

https://www.bluebombers.com/2025/08/12/blue-bombers-transactions-august-12/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMIjPJjbGNrAwiMMWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeF5OUG_U0uoYZRr5IXKbkg-oz-dJcUFRnOSTjV2JVGvj6YkgV2EVYD_P4Jw4_aem_T-M0vbwtOHzt5YwW_HOMLg

News
 August 12, 2025
Blue Bombers transactions – August 12

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the following transactions:

Released from roster:
National long snapper Mike Benson

A long term and exceptional player who has served this club as well as any vet over the last few decades.  I thank him for his service and wish him the best of luck.  A pillar of stability.  Will be missed.

[Blue In BC]

Oh. That's unfortunate. I questioned whether he should be re-signed for 2025 when it appeared we had Leroux as the long term replacement.

Benson was a very good LS and I doubt earning that much. That said, I don't think he'd replace Leroux at this point so a release seemed almost inevitable.

Good luck in the future and thanks for games you played.

Another team lost their LS recently so he might get a call as a seasoned and very good player at his position. A short term rental perhaps.

[theaardvark]

We could have kept him on the 6 game for the season in appreciation for his service. 

I expect that he got healthy and asked for his release with the anticipation of signing elsewhere, or moving on from football.

[Blueforlife]

We could have kept him on the 6 game for the season in appreciation for his service. 

I expect that he got healthy and asked for his release with the anticipation of signing elsewhere, or moving on from football.

Good points

Oh. That's unfortunate. I questioned whether he should be re-signed for 2025 when it appeared we had Leroux as the long term replacement.

Benson was a very good LS and I doubt earning that much. That said, I don't think he'd replace Leroux at this point so a release seemed almost inevitable.

Good luck in the future and thanks for games you played.

Another team lost their LS recently so he might get a call as a seasoned and very good player at his position. A short term rental perhaps.

Love it, I knew someone talked about this in the offseason, memory is bad but you jogged it

Hopefully healthy enough to get picked up.  Never want to go out on an injury!!!

Mods we did this 3 seconds a part lol

Merge please

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

We could have kept him on the 6 game for the season in appreciation for his service. 

I expect that he got healthy and asked for his release with the anticipation of signing elsewhere, or moving on from football.

Benson planned to retire after last season and was pretty emotional about it, but I guess something made him reconsider. Surprised the Bombers didn't go with Leroux the first time for obvious reasons, but the end results are now the same.

[Blueforlife]

Winnipeg Blue Bombers release veteran long snapper Mike Benson - 3DownNation https://share.google/8rCIV4mcMXxvO1DUE

[TecnoGenius]

Kind of a weird move for us... but if that's what he wanted...

Glad we already have a great replacement in-house.  Finally a win for KW & co.

As always, the moral of the story in football is: don't. get. injured.

Willie J should put on clinics in this.

[Stats Junkie]

According to this Paul Friesen article Benson's contract would become guaranteed 48 hours before the Blue Bombers 9th game (Thursday). He was released just hours prior to triggering the guarantee.

It sounds like Benson would be interested if another team came calling. Currently, Hamilton & Calgary are using backup long snappers.

[Blueforlife]

'Bittersweet moment': Blue Bombers hand pink slip to veteran Benson | Winnipeg Sun https://share.google/KsqYoBD1txTCcq83I

[Sir Blue and Gold]

According to this Paul Friesen article Benson's contract would become guaranteed 48 hours before the Blue Bombers 9th game (Thursday). He was released just hours prior to triggering the guarantee.

It sounds like Benson would be interested if another team came calling. Currently, Hamilton & Calgary are using backup long snappers.

As much as it sucks for Benson and the Bombers I like it from an organizational standpoint. To be successful in this game your front office needs to be ruthless in the pursuit of output versus SMS. I'm sure it was a very tough conversation but that's the way it needs to be and frankly, we probably should be making more of these.

[blue_gold_84]

Oh, this is unfortunate news.

Best of luck in your future endeavours, Mr. Benson!

[Blueforlife]

As much as it sucks for Benson and the Bombers I like it from an organizational standpoint. To be successful in this game your front office needs to be ruthless in the pursuit of output versus SMS. I'm sure it was a very tough conversation but that's the way it needs to be and frankly, we probably should be making more of these.

Cal Murphy was like this, while I don't agree with it, football is a business 1st.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Cal Murphy was like this, while I don't agree with it, football is a business 1st.

So was Wally Buono.

[Blueforlife]

So was Wally Buono.

Who you rather have?

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

As much as it sucks for Benson and the Bombers I like it from an organizational standpoint. To be successful in this game your front office needs to be ruthless in the pursuit of output versus SMS. I'm sure it was a very tough conversation but that's the way it needs to be and frankly, we probably should be making more of these.

It's a function that needs to be present in any successful business operation, it comes down to making the smart business decision over the emotional alternative.  Walters admitted in the past he does not befriend the players anymore than necessary, he leaves that to MOS, his job is to be the cold blooded executioner. I think they've clashed over their differences on players before, O'Shea understands what needs to be done, but he doesn't like it.