Mike O’Shea has been confirmed to continue as the head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, as announced by the CFL team on Friday. Aged 55, O’Shea, who has been honored twice as the CFL coach of the year and boasts six Grey Cup victories, is set to embark on his 12th season as the Bombers’ head coach in 2026.
Winnipeg has maintained a streak of nine consecutive playoff appearances and a run of five successive Grey Cup appearances from 2019 to 2024, clinching the championship in the first two years. The decision for O’Shea to return follows the Toronto Argonauts’ search for a new head coach after Ryan Dinwiddie’s departure to take up the position of coach and general manager of the Ottawa Redblacks.
Originally from North Bay, Ontario, O’Shea served as a linebacker for the Argonauts from 1996 to 1999 and 2001 to 2008. He later transitioned to become Toronto’s special teams coordinator from 2010 to 2013 before assuming the role of head coach for the Bombers.
In addition to O’Shea’s confirmation, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers also announced the return of general manager Kyle Walters for the upcoming season.