Blue Bombers’ kicker Sergio Castillo temporarily returns home for personal matter

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will be temporarily without veteran kicker Sergio Castillo as he’s returned home to attend to a personal matter.

The 33-year-old dressed for the team’s 25-12 preseason loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Monday, going a perfect two-for-two on field goals. He also performed two kickoffs for an average length of 67.5 yards.

Castillo set a new franchise record in 2023 when he connected on 90.2 percent of his field goals, making 46-of-51 attempts, including four-of-six from outside the 50-yard mark. He went three-for-five during the West Final and made his only attempt in the Grey Cup.

The West Texas A&M product is currently in his third separate stint in Winnipeg. He first came to the CFL as a member of the team in 2015 and was acquired via trade midway through the 2021 season, before leaving as a free agent that offseason.

In 77 career CFL games, the native of La Joya, Texas has gone 170-of-196 on field goals, hitting 86.7 percent of his kicks with the Blue Bombers, Ottawa Redblacks, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, B.C. Lions, and Edmonton Elks.

Castillo was named a CFL all-star in 2019, leading to opportunities south of the border with the NFL’s New York Jets, XFL’s Houston Roughnecks, and AAF’s San Antonio Commanders.