CFL: Blue Bombers defensive back Tyrell Ford focused on Winnipeg return to Gray Cup

VANCOUVER –

Jordan Younger immediately understood that Tyrell Ford was a special talent.

He got his first glimpse of the Canadian defense back at the 2022 CFL combine and was impressed.

“The way he moved, some of the decisions he made, I could see that he certainly had the physical ability. But he also understood how to play that position,” said Younger, Winnipeg’s defensive coordinator. Blue bombers. “I thought if he was humble enough to take some lessons and all that, he could really be an impact player.”

The Bombers selected Ford with the 13th overall pick in the 2022 draft, and he has since become a key player for Winnipeg.

Now, the 26-year-old cornerback from Niagara Falls, Ont., is set to play in the Gray Cup on Sunday when his team takes on the Toronto Argonauts at BC Place.

The path to the CFL championship was not linear for Ford.

He played 12 games with the Bombers in 2022, making three defensive tackles and 10 special teams tackles, before signing a futures contract with the Green Bay Packers in January 2023 and being released by the NFL team in August.

Ford re-signed with Winnipeg for the 2024 campaign and headed into Bombers training camp with something to prove.

“I definitely came in with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “I felt I should have played more in 2022. But obviously I didn’t. So it was good to go out there and get a chance to prove it. And I think I did.”

The 5-foot-11, 194-pound University of Waterloo product has started all 18 games for the Bombers this season, registering 51 defensive tackles and four special teams tackles. He also had seven interceptions, the second-most in the league behind Saskatchewan Roughriders cornerback Roland Milligan Jr., who was named the CFL Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday.

“I feel like I had a good regular season,” Ford said. “I think I missed a few interceptions, so it’s kind of tough, and I definitely missed a few tackles. But I feel like I haven’t really missed any coverage or done anything too bad. I need to work on the tricks because it’s good, but I think I’ve had a pretty good season and hopefully I’ll get better every year.”

According to Younger, Ford has brought “a different level of maturity” to the Bombers this season.

“I remember him having a tough game in the first game of the year and not flinching,” he said. “He came back, he realized, ‘Okay, this is what I did right, this is what I did wrong.’ And he had to work on what he didn’t do well, and that’s what he did every game.

He fits into Winnipeg’s system because of the way he sees the game and talks to his teammates, the defensive coordinator added.

“To play in our system, you have to have vision. You have to be able to look at the game and see what’s going on in front of you and then process the information very quickly,” he said. “So he’s got really good eyes and he’s a good communicator in the sense that he can listen and communicate. So, these qualities are necessary to play in this defense.”

Winnipeg boasts one of the best defensive units in the CFL this season, allowing the fewest points (366) of any team during regular season play.

The Bombers got off to a slow start, losing their first four games and going 2-6 to start the campaign. The team then went on an eight-game winning streak to take first place in the West Division and finish with an 11-7 record.

“I always knew we were capable of playing really good football. We were just a little sloppy at the beginning of the season,” Ford said. “So we’re just playing cleaner football, executing at a higher level and playing for each other.”

In preparation for this season, Ford worked on his speed, running the 40-yard dash almost every day, and played receiver for his twin, Edmonton Elks linebacker Tre Ford.

Playing in the same league was special for the brothers.

“It’s just good to have someone who understands and knows what it’s about and how it’s happening. There’s definitely a good support system and I’m all for him,” Tyrell Ford said.

The duo talk almost every night while playing video games together. When they’re not playing, they talk on the phone every couple of days

“He’s my twin brother, so we’re almost like one person,” Tyrell Ford said. “It’s just cool and it makes football fun.”

The Blue Bombers’ defense has also had a lot of fun playing the football in recent weeks, Ford said.

“We had a lot of energy,” he said. “It feels like you’re kids playing soccer again.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on November 15, 2024.