By now there’s no doubt that Willie Jefferson impacts every game he plays in.

The six-foot-seven defensive lineman doesn’t need any further introduction to anyone who has ever watched the Winnipeg Blue Bombers over the last five seasons (or the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Edmonton Elks prior to that).

That said, we’ll introduce him anyway. Six Grey Cup appearances, three championships, six All-CFL teams and one CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player (2019).

Not into numbers or  accolades? How about ‘Freak-of-nature’, ‘one of the best to ever do it’, or ‘future hall of famer’?

If you’re not convinced that Jefferson has all it takes and more to impact the 111th Grey Cup, let’s get into the specifics.

111th GREY CUP
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RAISING THE STANDARD

How many human beings you know that are six-foot-seven, 245 pounds and possess a wingspan that could cover the entirety of BC Place? Tune in on Sunday and you’ll see just one, Jefferson.

Having that much raw physical talent would be the perfect excuse to cruise through practice and film study, instead relying on your abilities to take over every week. That would have two effects, however. One, he would probably not reach such heights as the ones he has so far. Two, what kind of example would it set for his teammates?

Thankfully, those two are moot points when it comes to No. 5.

“Having a player like Willie Jefferson makes my job much easier in the sense that he’s a superstar, a future Hall of Famer that does almost everything you want him to do,” said defensive coordinator Jordan Younger. “When that guy is doing the workouts, coming in early, studying film, everybody that comes behind him, they see that standard and (think) ‘How dare I fall short of it if this guy’s willing to sacrifice and put in that much time in order to get the job done?’

“Leading by example is probably the most valuable asset of having Jefferson on the team. He raises the standard.”

PRESSURE MONSTER 

Pro Football Focus started tracking pressures for CFL defensive linemen in 2022. Since then, Jefferson has NEVER not ranked in the top four in that category. The Bombers edge rusher was fourth in 2022 (66), third in 2023 (77) and third in 2024 (56).

That total is good for second in the CFL behind 2022 Most Outstanding Defensive Player Lorenzo Mauldin IV over the last three years.

Pressures include sacks, hits and hurries, all of which have a deep effect in a quarterback’s performance.

Jefferson ranks second in pressures over the last three seasons (Thomas Srklj/CFL.ca)

“He’s a big time playmaker, that’s always really special to see,” said teammate Evan Holm.

“The pressure on the quarterback is immaculate,” said defensive back Brandon Alexander. “He’s one of the best to ever do it in this league. Every snap he’s on the field, you have got to watch out for him. You don’t know what he’s going to do and how he’s going to react to what you give him. All eyes have to be on him on the opposite side.”

BIG FIVE

I mean, you knew this was coming right? If Mauldin IV leads the league in pressures over the last three years, Jefferson laps every single player in passes batted down at the line of scrimmage at least a couple of times.

The towering defensive lineman has batted down 37 passes thrown anywhere near him (which is apparently the entire length of the field), three times more than the next closest player in Hamilton’s Casey Sayles (12).

That means that even if he’s not getting to the quarterback, he can still get to the quarterback.

“Freak of nature,” said Bombers offensive lineman Stanley Bryant, who goes up against Jefferson every week in practice. “He’s different. If you look at him, you think he’s a basketball player, but he’s a football player on the edge wrecking havoc. If he doesn’t get to the quarterback, he’s jumping up, getting rebounds, knocking balls down.”

Bryant revealed a scary thought for opposing offensive coordinators trying to scheme up a way to stop Winnipeg’s pass rusher.

“He’s getting better and better each and every year.”

Jefferson preached doing the right things when nobody’s looking and having fun doing it ahead of the 111th Grey Cup (Jamie Douglas/CFL.ca)

Not that opposing coordinators and pivots are not already losing sleep over having to face one of the best edge rushers in the game.

“That’s my job, to make quarterbacks nervous,” said a confident Jefferson at his Media Day booth, a Grey Cup Week routine he’s more than used to at this point. “Make them uncomfortable, get them on the ground. If I can, make them throw bad balls.”

The Blue Bombers defensive leader does all that while still hyping up teammates around him and making the entire thing a good experience for everyone involved.

“Taking charge, showing up every day ready to work, doing the right things when nobody’s looking and having fun doing it,” said the defensive lineman about leading by example.

“He’s a huge piece in the locker room, and a really good guy,” raved Holm about No. 5.