Portager Kaiden Banfield looks back on 2024 with Blue Bomber practice roster

While he never saw any action on the field for the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) West Division champions, 21-year-old Running Back Kaiden Banfield got the opportunity to see his name in blue and gold on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers practice roster.

Banfield says his training camp got off to a solid start before disaster struck on day three.

“I slightly pulled my hamstring, so I was out with injury,” explains Banfield. “They told me that if I wanted to come back after the injury and be on the practice roster, I could, which means they must have seen something they liked to be able to take a chance on me after those first two days.”

Banfield’s first reaction after the offer? A mix of excitement and relief.

“In that moment (when I got injured), I was just upset that it was going to end my training camp that way. I wasn’t given too much of an opportunity to show what I could do. When they told me that I had the opportunity to come back healthy, I was very thankful.”

Banfield would pull double duty between his time with the Bombers and the Canadian Junior Football League’s (CJFL) Winnipeg Rifles. Through eight games played, Banfield had over 1,000 all-purpose yards, rushing for 946 and receiving for 223.

“I’d drive in at about 6:00 a.m., get there for meetings at 8:30 with the Bombers. After that, practice, which would finish around 2 p.m. Then, Rifles practice at 6:00 p.m. and that would be over at 9:00. Then I drove home and it was pretty much that, every day.”

Banfield adds that the locker room feeling is special, as the group was so tight-knit you could essentially call them family.

“One of the biggest highlights I had was just being able to spend time with the guys in the locker room,” notes Banfield. “It’s a great group of guys they have in there. Everyone congratulated me after each Rifles games, asking how I was doing. The guys were probably my favourite part of my time.”

Banfield hopes to continue developing, potentially leading to a spot on the Bombers’ active roster in future seasons.