Winnipeg’s Oliveira etches his name in CFL history as a dual award recipient
VANCOUVER – On Thursday, Brady Oliveira made waves in Winnipeg sports history while aligning himself with some iconic CFL figures.
The Blue Bombers running back made history as the first player from Winnipeg to earn the title of the league’s top performer.
At 27 years old and a product of Oak Park High School, Oliveira shone as a double recipient at the league’s individual player awards ceremony, claiming both the Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian honors.
“This is unbelievable,” Oliveira expressed. “It’s surreal, honestly. Everyone knows my story. I grew up as a Winnipeg Blue Bomber aficionado and am a proud Winnipeger. Being up here celebrated with the two highest accolades in this league, representing my city, the Winnipeg Bombers organization, and my teammates – it’s surreal, truly surreal.”
Oliveira now stands as just the fourth player in league history to sweep both awards in a single season, joining the ranks of quarterback Russ Jackson, who achieved this feat thrice in the 1960s, receiver Tony Gabriel (1978), and fellow running back Jon Cornish (2013).
“Merely having my name mentioned alongside those legends feels strange to me,” the fifth-year Bomber reflected. “Especially someone like Jon Cornish. I grew up idolizing his games.”
In the MOP balloting, Oliveira received 31 votes, surpassing Hamilton quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, a two-time recipient, who garnered 25.
His victory over Montreal defensive lineman Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund for the top Canadian was just one vote shy of being unanimous.
With 1,353 rushing yards, Oliveira led the league in ground game for the second consecutive season. His total of 1,829 yards from scrimmage was also the best, as he played a crucial role in helping the Bombers secure the top spot in the West with an 11-7 record. They set their sights on Toronto for Sunday’s Grey Cup.
In a league where skilled position players and MOP recipients are often American, Oliveira takes honor in being a local talent.
