Deep down, Nick Taylor had that lingering ache and burning desire to keep playing and it only grew with each passing week of the Canadian Football League season.
Still, when a guy’s birth certificate reads 36 years of age and when he’s out of football for 11 months the demand for his services can often be limited, if not non-existent.
So, it says something of Taylor experience, his versatility, his compatibility and his perseverance that he was back on the field Sunday morning with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as a late-season addition to the practice roster.
“Sometimes guys just show up on your doorstep and you can’t turn them away,” said Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea of Taylor’s return with a chuckle after practice Sunday. “No, Nick’s a guy that’s been here before. We like the way he plays. He’s healthy, he’s fit, he’s a good communicator, he knows what we do, he knows our guys.
“Right now, it’s just a great insurance policy. We’ll see how quickly he can get up to speed but a veteran presence like that who has seen it all in this league is probably an important piece to add right now.
“He’s a good locker room guy, too. I tend to just gloss over that because most of our guys are pretty damn good guys. He’s certainly one of those guys that’s an easy fit.”
Taylor’s addition comes at a time with Brandon Alexander out a hand injury — he’s currently sporting a cast — and second-year man Jake Kelly manning the safety position.
Taylor was shadowing Kelly on Sunday, but could also play halfback, dime or even corner with his 71 games of CFL experience with four teams, including 2019-22 with the Blue Bombers and two Grey Cup championships.
“It’s definitely different not being on the field and watching the games and your friends playing and knowing you still have the ability,” Taylor told bluebombers.com on Sunday. “That’s tough. I was fine with it and then in the middle of the season, maybe Week 12 or so, I had a little itch. Then this opportunity presented itself.
“It’s so good to be back out here and I appreciate it, especially being out the whole year. And to be back with this organization… the only organization I said I’d come back and play for is this one. When somebody does things the right way you appreciate it — even with how it ended here. Of course, I wanted to come back last year but it didn’t work out that way.
“Deep down I always appreciative for how this organization does things. The coaches… I would run through a wall for J.Y. (Jordan Younger) and coach (Richie) Hall and James Stanley and Osh (Mike O’Shea). Then the players… I’ve got Deatrick (Nichols), the Hallett brothers, B.A. (Brandon) Alexander, (Tyrell) Ford, Holmie (Evan Holm), (Jamal) Parker.
“I’m still in a group chat with all those guys,” he added. “Even last year when I wasn’t on the team, I was still communicating with those guys like I was part of the team. They would ask me for help on certain situations and how I would cover it this way, so I felt like I was still part of the team. That was weird but I always felt like I was still a Bomber.”
Taylor was having an excellent 2022 season with the Blue Bombers when he suffered an Achilles injury in the Banjo Bowl. He wasn’t re-signed that offseason — largely due to his age, the injury and a salary-cap squeeze — but landed in Calgary with the Stampeders.
He appeared in 11 games with the Stamps last year, plus the Western Semifinal loss to the B.C. Lions — his last game of action.
Since then, he’d been working at a gym as a fitness manager and trainer and working with kids in football on weekends. Now the father of two-year-old Nico, Taylor got the green light from his wife to head to Winnipeg for this late-season run.
“One more run for glory,” he said with a grin. “That’s the main purpose in coming back. We won two here and now we can try to turn it into three. I truly feel if I was on the field at the end of ’22 (and the loss to Toronto in the Grey Cup) I could have helped out with a little something to win that championship. I’m not saying at all me being out was a main factor but I know my voice or my experience might have changed one play in that game. That hurt me deep down to the core that I wasn’t with those guys in ’22 to help those guys finish up and for me personally because I was having a decent season.
“It hurt me not to be able to finish the job and that’s why it feels so good to be back now. They called me because some injuries happened, and they wanted somebody they could rely on and it wasn’t just about my playing skills but my vocal skills and leadership.
“They thought I could help out like that. I don’t have to try and, be a Superman, but just play my part and be a good communicator.”
MORE NEW BLOOD: In addition to bringing in Taylor the Blue Bombers also added American linebacker Cam Bright, who has had stints this year with both the Calgary Stampeders and Ottawa RedBlacks.
Bright (6-0, 222, Washington; born: February 23, 1999 in Cleveland, OH) had NFL looks with the Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns before signing with Calgary this February.
Bright ‘s five-year collegiate career was split between Pittsburgh (2018-2021), and Washington (2022) where he dressed for 65 games, including 32 starts, and recorded 245 tackles (141 solo, 104 assists), 12 sacks, three fumble recoveries (one touchdown), three passes defended, and two interceptions.
OUCH REPORT: Back at work over the last two practices coming out of the bye week were OL Gabe Wallace, DT Miles Fox, FB Bailey Feltmate and LB Michael Ayers.
WR/KR Lucky Whitehead was again a spectator.