WINNIPEG 鈥� It was 2016 and Jermarcus Hardrick was rushing to the airport to catch a flight.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were heading to Vancouver for a CFL playoff game against the B.C. Lions and the offensive lineman, in his first year with the club, feared the wrath of head coach Mike O鈥橲hea if he wasn鈥檛 on time.
鈥淢y wife was pregnant and we were late. She was driving,鈥� Hardrick recalled after a recent practice. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what to do when I got there and I was so scared and I was going crazy, snapping (at her) the whole time.
鈥淎s soon as I got there, I got out of the truck and O鈥橲hea said, 鈥榊ou go apologize right now because I know you were late and I've been late before. I know you said some things (to her) you didn鈥檛 mean to say.鈥欌��
He and wife Samantha have never forgotten that day, and view it as an example of how the team is like a family from the top down.
鈥淢y wife always talked about it. She just respects (O鈥橲hea) so much because I probably wouldn't have talked to her all weekend,鈥� Hardrick said with a smile.
鈥淵ou know how marriage is. He just understood that. That just lets me know he gets it. He鈥檚 lived the life we're living right now. It鈥檚 all about family. Make sure things at home is good. That's always stuck with me.鈥�
The Bombers, who lost that 2016 West Division semifinal against the Lions, often refer to the team鈥檚 special culture and how they鈥檙e like a family.
They point to that as one of the reasons for their success, which includes back-to-back Grey Cup championships in 2019 and 2021 and the opportunity to three-peat after recording a franchise-best 15 wins this season (15-3).
This time Winnipeg is hosting the Lions (12-6) in the West Division final at IG Field this Sunday.
Finding the right mix of skilled players who buy into the team-first culture didn鈥檛 happen overnight, defensive tackle Jake Thomas said.
The longest-serving Bomber endured the evolution over his 10-year career, starting with some lean years. There were six wins in 2012 and only three the following season.
O鈥橲hea and general manager Kyle Walters were hired in late 2013. The team posted seven wins in 2014, five the next season and finally hit double digits (11-7) in 2016.
鈥淲hen I first got here, I don't think guys spent as much time together as we do now,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淎nytime you win, too, it makes things better.
鈥淯sually the first thing that comes out of guys鈥� mouths when they first get here is just everything seems closer and guys actually care about each other.鈥�
Players enjoy each other鈥檚 company outside work hours, whether that鈥檚 Willie Jefferson hosting barbecues for the defensive linemen, linebackers going to an escape room or groups bowling or playing paint ball, Thomas said.
Some teammates have even flown to Thomas鈥檚 home in Fredericton, N.B., in the off-season for a charity curling event he hosts, which benefits the city鈥檚 youth minor football and youth curling programs.
Hardrick said their kids attend each other鈥檚 birthday parties, while Thomas noted his wife, Sarah, went to a Backstreet Boys concert with other wives this year.
Thomas also experienced an O鈥橲hea interaction he鈥檚 never forgotten.
鈥淚 got married on Jan. 2 of 2016 and he called me Jan. 1 to wish me best luck,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淚 had no idea what he was calling me for. I was shocked that he even remembered it.
鈥淚 got phone calls and some gift cards from coaches when I had my son during the pandemic. It goes a lot farther than just football in this organization.鈥�
Plenty of teammates checked in on veteran defensive back Brandon Alexander while he rehabbed a knee injury suffered in last year鈥檚 Grey Cup that required surgery.
Players also make sure a teammate is OK if he鈥檚 dealing with a family matter, Alexander said.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e here, we鈥檙e all like open arms,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hatever you need, whatever you need to get through. Me, personally, I feel like it鈥檚 bigger than on the field.
鈥淗ow do you put your body on the line for somebody next to you if you don鈥檛 care about that person?鈥�
Jefferson saw how much the team cared for his family a couple of months ago.
The Bombers played in Hamilton Sept. 17 and Jefferson鈥檚 wife, Holly, was back in Winnipeg about to give birth to their second daughter. A team employee had met her at the hospital to offer support.
It was O鈥橲hea鈥檚 actions, though, that Jefferson really appreciated.
The coach told players to quickly get on their charter flight.
鈥淭o actually see coach O鈥橲hea put forward the effort to get everybody like, 鈥楬ey, sit down, let鈥檚 get ready,鈥欌�� Jefferson recalled.
鈥淭hen as soon as we land, he says to everybody, 鈥楽it down, let Willie get his stuff so he could go.鈥� It just shows he cares. He鈥檚 a family man.鈥�
When Jefferson arrived at the hospital, Holly started pushing and he saw Rielley Rose come into the world.
Bombers receiver Dalton Schoen, the West Division nominee for CFL rookie of the year, has been impressed since joining the club.
鈥淚t鈥檚 1,000 per cent different here,鈥� said Schoen, who spent time with three NFL clubs. 鈥淎s soon as I stepped in here I was like, this culture isn鈥檛 necessarily normal from what you see from professional teams, but in the best way possible.
鈥淛ust the way that these guys care so much about each other as people, and then care so much about the team success compared to individual achievement. It is really special and it is kind of that family aspect.鈥�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2022.
Judy Owen, The Canadian Press
