Winnipeg Blue Bombers officially rule out RB Brady Oliveira with shoulder injury

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The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have officially ruled out Canadian running back Brady Oliveira for their Week 3 rematch with the B.C. Lions.

Oliveira has been unable to participate in practice all week due to a shoulder injury. While head coach Mike O’Shea has remained opaque about the severity of the injury, routinely describing himself as “hopeful,” unconfirmed reports indicate that the hometown product could miss several weeks.

The 27-year-old carried the football 239 times for 1,353 yards and three touchdowns in 2024. He added 57 receptions for 476 yards and another score, becoming the fourth player to win both Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian.

Oliveira rushed twice for 49 yards on the opening possession of Winnipeg’s season-opening 34-20 win over the B.C. Lions. He left the field after Chris Streveler threw a touchdown pass to Nic Demski and didn’t return with what the team termed an “upper body injury.”

Matthew Peterson took over from Oliveira at running back and shone, rushing 23 times for 130 yards and one touchdown. The University of Alberta product, whose rights were acquired via trade from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats late in the offseason, was playing his first career regular-season CFL game.

It remains unclear if Peterson will start in Week 3 or if Quinton Cooley, who excelled in the preseason, will be promoted from the practice roster.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1-0) will visit the B.C. Lions (1-1) at BC Place Stadium on Saturday, June 21 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT.