Calgary Stampeders add veteran linebacker Adam Bighill to CFL roster

Article content

The Calgary Stampeders have addressed their linebacking injury woes with the signing of a big-time veteran footballer.

On Sunday, the Canadian Football League team brought in Adam Bighill, adding him to the practice roster.

A veteran of 191 regular-season games and 19 post-season contests in 12 seasons in the CFL, Bighill is a three-time winner of the Most Outstanding Defensive Player award, an eight-time West Division all-star and a six-time league all-star.

The product of Montesano, Wash., has won three Grey Cup rings — one as a member of the BC Lions and two with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

In January, the Blue Bombers told Bighill they wouldn’t be offering him another contract, terminating a seven-year relationship.

“It’s a bummer,” the 36-year-old Bighill told the Winnipeg Sun at the time. “The fans are great, the community is great. It supports you here. Great locker room and great support — a lot of great stuff. It’s a good team, a good organization in a lot of ways. Something like that you don’t want to leave unless you have to.”

He did, however, with hopes that another team would want him.

And now the Stamps do after being beset by injury at linebacker.

The Stamps have amassed a few key injuries in that corps, losing middle-man Marquel Lee (bicep) — a leader of the revamped unit — and outside-man Gary Johnson Jr. to the six-game injury list.

And fellow linebacker Jacob Roberts, who started on the strong-side Saturday, was sidelined during the 20-12 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks at McMahon Stadium.

Bighill was injured late last CFL season and underwent knee surgery.

“I realized when I got hurt it’s a real possibility that a club who’s already looking at ways to probably redo their roster, with heavy veterans,” Bighill told the Winnipeg Sun. “This is an easy one for them. Whether I think or whether other people think it’s a right decision or not. It’s an easy one to point at and say, ‘It’s probably time.’”

But now he’s with the Stamps to prove he can still play.

Bighill ranks sixth in CFL history with 939 defensive tackles and also has 39 tackles for loss, 71 special-teams stops, 50 sacks, 15 interceptions including one pick-six, 11 fumble recoveries including three returned for touchdowns, 14 forced fumbles and 25 knockdowns.

In between his stints in the CFL — six seasons with the Lions, and six with the Blue Bombers — Bighill played in the National Football League for one year and saw action in three games with the New Orleans Saints.