Milt's Back!

One of the greatest receivers in the history of the CFL will be back in Winnipeg for another season.

p class=MsoNormal>The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced on Tuesday that slotback Milt Stegall has agreed to return for the upcoming 2007 CFL season.

The 2007 season will be Stegall’s 13th season in a Blue Bomber uniform. He originally joined the football club as a free agent in September 1995 and has since played 170 CFL games, all of them with the Blue Bombers.

Stegall is already the CFL career leader for touchdown receptions with 133 touchdowns. He is also poised to become the CFL’s all-time leader in touchdowns scored. He currently has 136 total touchdowns, one back of the current CFL mark of 137 held by George Reed and Mike Pringle.

“We as an organization are extremely pleased that one of the greatest players in the history of the franchise is coming back for another season,” Blue Bombers president and CEO Lyle Bauer said.

“It would be impossible to overstate the value of the contributions Milt Stegall has made to this team, to the league and to the community. He has been the epitome of professionalism, both on and off the football field. He has represented this football with class in everything he has done.”

Stegall leads the Bombers in several career receiving category including receptions (756) and receiving yards (13,602). He also leads the club in most 1,000-yard receiving seasons (9) and most seasons leading the team in receiving (9).

The Turtle-Man has been named a CFL All-Star six times and a Division All-Star on seven occasions. He was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2002 when he had 105 receptions for 1,862 yards and a league-best 23 touchdowns, which set a new CFL record for TDs scored in a single season. He also led the league in touchdowns receptions in 2001 with 14.

Stegall showed no signs of slowing down this past season. He once again led the Blue Bombers in receiving with 79 catches for 1,269 yards and seven TDs, despite missing four games due to injury. His 1,269 yards were fourth best in the CFL while his 79 receptions were third best in the league and helped earn him CFL and East Division All-Star honours. Stegall produced one of the most electrifying plays in team history on July 20 at Commonwealth Stadium when he hauled in a Kevin Glenn and scampered 100 yards to produce a last second, game-winning touchdown against the Edmonton Eskimos.