‘This one is going to the house’

Trey Vaval’s CFL career was almost over before it even started.

A month and a half before he was scheduled to report to Winnipeg for Blue Bombers rookie camp, Vaval broke his left hand in a motocross accident. An unsuccessful jump sent him flying over the handlebars before the bike came down and crushed his hand.

“As soon as I got up and got off the track, I felt good,” said Vaval after Wednesday’s closed practice.

Even a nurse on site checked him out and told him he likely had nothing more than a sprained wrist.

“I iced it all day and the next day I went out and raced again because we thought it was nothing serious,” he said.

Then his hand started to go numb.

Vaval tried to tough it out at the gym over the next few days, but he could no longer ignore the problem. Something was clearly wrong.

He went to the hospital for an X-ray and, sure enough, needed surgery to insert a metal rod into his hand.

“I kind of just blacked out. Whatever happened, it was kind of just instincts.”

He didn’t tell the Bombers about the ordeal until he arrived in Winnipeg. Before allowing him to strap on the pads, the team sent him to a doctor to determine whether or not he was OK to play.

Thankfully for Vaval — and the Bombers — he was given the green light. He went on to win the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player awards in 2025.

“If that doctor hadn’t cleared me, I wouldn’t be here,” said Vaval, who was forced to wear a soft cast on his hand during the pre-season.

“I probably would not be playing football anymore. I didn’t have any film at the time, I didn’t have any exposure. If I hadn’t gotten cleared that day, I’d probably just be working a job or doing something that wouldn’t be football, honestly.”

Lesson learned. Vaval no longer goes anywhere near a dirt bike during the off-season.

“We retired that as of now. I gotta stay away from that,” he said.

Vaval has also mastered the art of staying away from would-be tacklers. A prime example of that was the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 33-28 victory over the visiting Calgary Stampeders.

Fielding a punt deep in Winnipeg’s own end, Vaval broke out a spin move that sent two Stampeders crashing into each other. He then bounced off two more red-and-white jerseys before racing down the sideline for a 34-yard gain.

The Bombers led 27-22 with 11 minutes remaining, and the clutch return put them in prime position to add a field goal moments later to extend their lead.

“Trey can outrun everybody… He’s the fastest man on the field.”

“I kind of just blacked out. Whatever happened, it was kind of just instincts,” said Vaval.

“And then the next day we came in and watched film and that was the first time I realized what happened.”

Vaval was finally brought down right in front of Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea on the sideline. O’Shea was grinning from ear to ear before approaching his star returner to pat him on the helmet.

“That is a pretty slick play when you watch it again and again,” said O’Shea. “We put it up and watch it in amazement, then we rewind it and watch it again and say, ‘OK, here’s how this play scores.’ Because you’re really maybe a block and a half away from taking it to the house.”

Vaval had already hit pay dirt that night, opening the second half with an 88-yard kickoff return touchdown.

“I ain’t gonna lie, I was talking to someone and I said, ‘This one is going to the house,’” said Bombers cornerback Major Williams.

“They kept kicking it to the boundary and Trey can outrun everybody to the field (side). He’s the fastest man on the field. Everybody likes to pin him in that one corner, and the time we do bring it all the way up across field to our sideline, he takes it back. I mean, who’s going to catch Trey if he’s untouched?”

Vaval will look to deliver another highlight-reel return or two Friday when the Bombers (8-8) visit the Edmonton Elks (12-4) at Commonwealth Stadium.

A Winnipeg victory or a Calgary loss this weekend would automatically clinch the Bombers a post-season berth.

But Vaval’s contributions extend beyond special teams. He has started the past two games at corner and was once again working with the defensive starters Tuesday during the team’s lone open practice of the week.

He has recorded four pass knockdowns and 19 defensive tackles this season.

“You’re out there playing corner on second down then you’re returning the punt on third down,” said Williams.

“It’s a very tough challenge, but at the end of the day, he deserves that role. He’s the perfect person for that. That’s why he’s Trey Vaval.”

After collecting a pair of major awards last season, Vaval entered 2026 with sky-high expectations. While continuing to develop as a defender, he has further established himself as one of the CFL’s most dangerous returners.

The 26-year-old from Blue Springs, Mo., leads the league in punt return yards, ranks second with two return touchdowns and sits third in kickoff return yards.

“After last year, it sparked a little more fire under me and made me want to go even harder,” said Vaval. “And to keep proving that this wasn’t a one-time thing — I’m here to stay, keep playing good for my teammates, and keep my foot on the pedal.”

Metaphorically, of course.

Singer questionable for Friday

Rookie receiver Dorian Singer is battling an illness and is questionable for Friday’s clash in Edmonton.

Singer, who exploded for 166 yards on five catches against Calgary, wasn’t at practice Tuesday and was listed as a non-participant Wednesday.

O’Shea hesitated before saying that the plan is for him to play.

winnipegfreepress.com/taylorallen