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TORONTO — Even from afar, Chris Streveler never stopped feeling the love from Bombers fans.
The American pivot recently signed back with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after four seasons in the NFL, returning to the city where he helped capture a championship in 2019.
Streveler played two seasons with the Bombers (2018-2019), completing 242 of 374 passes for 2,698 yards and 19 touchdown passes while adding 204 carries for 1,167 yards and 22 majors as a runner.
All that success earned him the unwavering admiration from Winnipeggers.
“I feel like anything that happened with me, anytime I got cut or anything happened, hundreds of Winnipeg people messaged me saying, ‘if it doesn’t work out there, come back to the Bombers’,” said Streveler in an appearance in this week’s edition of The Waggle Podcast with Donnovan Bennett and Henoc Muamba. “The support those people gave me always meant a lot, especially when you’re getting cut like four times in a matter of six months and it’s not going the best, but these people are still riding with you and supporting you.
“That’s part of the reason why I love Winnipeg so much. Those people, the love that they show you and and specifically have shown me. It’s exciting to be back.”
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Streveler was there for the beginning of the four-season run to the Grey Cup by the Bombers, watching first-hand the emergence of now star quarterback Zach Collaros.
Fast forward five years into the future and Collaros remains the starter and the leader for a Winnipeg squad that continues to dominate the West Division. His presence provides stability in the way that no other team has been able to enjoy at the position over that time span, with all the other starters at pivot for the remaining eight teams having changed since Streveler left.
Despite that, the 29-year old chose to return to the ‘Peg to serve as QB2 with Collaros as QB1.
“That is actually a crazy stat, that Zach (Collaros) is the only starter still there,” said Streveler. “That’s the thing about the CFL, there’s so much moving around, especially with quarterbacks bouncing around, everyone’s on almost a one year contract.
That doesn’t mean returning to Winnipeg was ever in doubt for the dynamic quarterback.
“To me, it comes down to the people in that locker room, the players and coaches and that culture,” added Streveler. “I know what that’s about. I know how I fit in, I know what that looks like. And I think especially when I got back up there a couple of weeks ago, it felt very real.”
The veteran dual-threat pivot adds a whole new dynamic to the Blue Bombers. His 22 rushing touchdowns gives Buck Pierce’s offence a new weapon on second and third down, complementing a power-running game led by Most Outstanding Canadian Brady Oliveira.
That ability to convert important downs made the quarterback a sought-after asset when he decided to return to the CFL. That means that Streveler had options before deciding to rejoin Mike O’Shea’s squad, but everyone knew where his heart was at.
“I know when I was talking to other teams, they obviously knew the feelings I had for Winnipeg, how I feel about that city and the coaches and the teammates and everything like that,” said the Illinois native. “I think they knew I was always leaning that way. But again, I had to do my due diligence and reach out to teams and talk to whoever wanted to have a conversation.
“But ultimately, it got down to the point where it was like, okay, Winnipeg is the place where I want to be let’s just make this thing happen and move forward.”
The fans certainly appreciate his return.
“I went up there a couple of weeks ago, and just did a bunch of events around the city. The amount of love those people were showing was honestly ridiculous. I can’t wait to get up there for the season.”