WINNIPEG 鈥� On-field success wasn鈥檛 the only reason Zach Collaros signed a three-year contract extension with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
After the team announced the signing Tuesday, the 34-year-old quarterback told reporters the strong bond he鈥檚 formed with staff and teammates played a big role in his decision to ink a deal through the 2025 CFL season.
鈥淏lessed. Lucky. Very fortunate. However you want to coin that,鈥� Collaros said of how he feels about being with the team.
鈥淓very time I see (Bombers president and chief executive officer) Wade (Miller), I shake his hand and give him a hug and thank him for bringing me in and allowing me to be part of this.鈥�
Collaros has thrown a career-high 4,115 yards and a league-high 35 touchdown passes this season. He鈥檚 amassed a 31-4 record in his two-plus years as the team's starter, including going 14-2 this season.
Winnipeg (14-3) is currently on a bye week and wraps up the regular season Oct. 28 at home against the B.C. Lions. The Bombers have already clinched first place in the West Division and will host the division final on Nov. 13.
鈥淚 love the environment. I love the city, community,鈥� Collaros said. 鈥淏ut, again, this organization 鈥� from Wade on through (head coach Mike O鈥橲hea) and the coaches and then just the guys in the locker room 鈥� some of these guys have become best friends to me.
鈥淭hese guys have the same mentality, they want to be here and try to continue on in our success. Obviously, looking at the future we have a lot of important things ahead of us here in the next couple weeks, but just happy to get it done and to have the opportunity to be around these people for a longer period of time.鈥澛�
Collaros, who could have become a free agent in February, said changes to the league鈥檚 collective bargaining agreement set the stage for a multi-year deal. Half the salary in the final year of his contract is now guaranteed.
It was widely reported he was paid $550,000 this season, his 10th in the league.
Bombers general manager Kyle Walters told reporters the reigning CFL most outstanding player got a raise and he鈥檚 鈥渁 pretty good football player and we paid accordingly.鈥澛�
鈥淗e's a winner and he's a leader and we just want him here. It鈥檚 as simple as that,鈥� Walters said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e lucky that it worked out the way it did for us, and happy to have him locked in.鈥�
Collaros has had a huge impact on the franchise since the Bombers acquired the Steubenville, Ohio, native in a trade-deadline deal with the Toronto Argonauts in October 2019.
Winnipeg ended a 28-season Grey Cup drought by defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 2019 title game. The 2020 season was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Bombers returned to form last year.
The club won the Grey Cup for a second straight season after a 33-25 overtime victory against the Ticats at Tim Hortons Field. Collaros was named most valuable player and also won his first most outstanding player award.
Bombers offensive lineman Jermarcus Hardwick was working out at IG Field Tuesday and spoke to a few reporters after the Collaros press conference.
鈥淚 think it's huge for the city. I think it's huge for the organization,鈥� Hardrick said.
鈥淶ach's one of the best players I've ever been around. Man, this is a big one. Zach's one of the best players in the league, best leaders in the league. For Winnipeg to keep him for three more years, it just shows the commitment to winning and Zach wants to be here, also.鈥�
What the eight-year veteran also appreciates is the type of person Collaros is with everyone around him.
鈥淗e fits in. Like a thumb,鈥� Hardrick said. 鈥淗e's never too big for the crowd, or the spot's never too big.
鈥淗e just wants to hang out, just wants to feel like one of the guys. He does a great job of that. Doesn't over-try it. Zach is just himself and it's easy to be around, easy to have fun around.鈥�
Collaros, a father of two daughters aged two-and-half years and 11 months, said it鈥檚 been difficult at times for his wife, Nicole, to follow him from their off-season Toronto home but she backed his decision.
鈥淚鈥檝e lived this crazy life of travelling around pretty much this entire adult life and it鈥檚 still a little new for her,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 her trusting in me and packing the kids up and being away from grandparents isn鈥檛 easy, but she loves the community, she loves the team, she loves the wives and everybody here, so it鈥檚 been good.鈥澛�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2022.
Judy Owen, The Canadian Press
