O-lineman
finds stomping grounds in Sask. and the ’Peg
By Darren
Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex
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| Patrick Neufeld, left, shares a chuckle with Evan Johnson. |
Neufeld grew
up in Regina and graduated from Luther College High School in 2006. Following
high school, he suited up as offensive lineman for the University of
Saskatchewan Huskies Football team from 2006 to 2010.
Following his
time with the Huskies, Neufeld cracked into the CFL in 2011 with his hometown
Saskatchewan Roughriders, but was traded to the rival Winnipeg Blue Bombers in
October of 2013.
With the Blue
Bombers, Neufeld has become a Winnipeg hero after helping the team win two Grey
Cups.
“It is a
pretty special place that I’ve grown quite fond of, and (I’ve met) a lot of
really cool people there that are important people in my life,” said Neufeld,
who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 311 pounds. “I’m glad I’ve gotten a chance to
know them and form those relationships.”
Neufeld
spends his CFL off-seasons in Saskatoon, where he trains for the upcoming
campaign at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. He regularly helps out as a guest
coach at the annual Playground to Pros camp run by Saskatoon Minor Football. The camp helps develop skills and fundamentals at the grassroots level.
During his
years at the U of S, Neufeld carved out his place in Huskies lore. He was a red
shirt in 2006, when the Huskies fell as the host team in the U Sports title
game - the Vanier Cup - 13-8 to the Universite Laval Rouge et Or at Griffiths
Stadium.
Neufeld was
on the active roster from 2007 to 2010, and he was named a U Sports first team
all-Canadian all-star at tackle in 2010.
That run with the Huskies ensured Neufeld always had roots in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan.
When he arrived in Winnipeg in October of 2013, Neufeld developed roots that would ensure he was always identified with Manitoba’s capital city.
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| Patrick Neufeld (#53) blocks for the Bombers in 2018. |
The 2020 CFL season was lost due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that gripped the world.
On top of
winning a second straight Grey Cup in 2021, Neufeld had a stellar personal
campaign making starts at right guard and right tackle being named a West
Division all-star and a CFL all-star at offensive guard. He was also given the
Bombers prestigious Cal Murphy ‘Heart of a Legend’ Award for sportsmanship and
dedication to the CFL and the community.
Neufeld has
felt the dedication of the Bombers’ fans and is impressed how they seemingly
know everything about the team’s history including the club’s 10 previous Grey
Cup wins before he joined the squad. He has seen Bombers fans keep past players
close to their hearts.
“They are the
best fans in the CFL,” said Neufeld. “They’re passionate.
“They’re
knowledgeable. They care about the team. They care to a point where they have
expectations, which is great, because it forces us as players to match those
expectations.
“We want to
put on a great show for our fans. They’re extremely loud, and they make playing
in IGF (Field) really, really hostile. It is a great community, and I’m really
proud to represent those fans and that community every week.”
Before
joining the Bombers, Neufeld was selected in the fifth round and 33rd
overall in the 2010 CFL Draft by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Neufeld started
playing for his hometown CFL team in 2011.
A trade on
October 6, 2013 saw the Roughriders send Neufeld and a fourth round selection
in the 2015 CFL Draft to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for defensive end Alex Hall
and a second round selection in the 2014 CFL Draft.
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| Patrick Neufeld demonstrates offensive line hand positioning. |
Neufeld is
still continuing to build on his status as an all-time Bombers great. Even with
that said, he enjoys returning to Saskatoon in the off-season and looks forward
to helping with the Playground to Pros camp.
“It is
awesome,” said Neufeld. “Saskatoon has been home for a long time now, and SMF
does a phenomenal job of putting these camps on.
“I think I’ve
done every single playground to pros camp that they’ve ever put on. It is just
a cool camp to see kids come out get to learn all these different positions from
really great Huskie players and pro players across the CFL. They do a great job
of bringing in all sorts of people to this camp and give everyone a chance to
learn this great game of football.”
Neufeld
naturally coaches offensive line skills at the camps and enjoys seeing the
spark kids get, when they realize they can do what they are being shown.
“That is the
coolest part is when you see a kid kind of like click into the things you’re
trying to teach them, and then they go do it in a drill or in a game,” said
Neufeld. “Their eyes light up when you’re congratulating them.
“They get super excited, and they are motivated. It is just those little sparks of joy that make coaching this game really fun and really special. It is the best game in the world, and camps like this is why it is.”
On January
11, Neufeld signed a contract extension with the Bombers to remain with the
team through the end of the upcoming 2022 campaign. He has studied the history
of the Bombers, which includes watching highlight videos of the team’s Grey Cup
championship years in 1988 and 1990 on YouTube.
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| Patrick Neufeld, centre, chats with coaches at the Playground to Pros camp. |
With that
noted, he tries to not look too far ahead.
“I take it
year by year now,” said Neufeld. “I’ve said that for a while.
“I’m going to
play this season and see how the body feels and see how the year goes and make
a decision with family after that.”
