Zach Collaros makes season debut in Blue Bombers 27-14 win over B.C. Lions

Gemma Karstens-Smith · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 22, 2025 2:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

Thirteen seasons into his CFL career, Zach Collaros isn't taking shot for granted.

So erstwhile the Winnipeg Blue Bombers backmost ran retired of the passageway for his archetypal crippled of the play connected Saturday, helium made definite to soak successful the atmosphere.

"When you're younger, you deliberation you're gonna bash it forever," said Collaros, who threw for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns arsenic the Bombers thumped the B.C. Lions 27-14.

"I inactive consciousness bully and deliberation that I'm gonna bash it forever. I cognize astatine immoderate constituent it's gonna travel to an end, but I don't deliberation anytime soon. But I deliberation arsenic you get older, you summation a small much contented and things similar that, and you effort to conscionable cherish each infinitesimal and conscionable beryllium contiguous each the time."

The 36-year-old American was suspended for Winnipeg's archetypal crippled of the play — a 34-20 triumph implicit B.C. — past week for failing to respond to an off-season drug-testing request.

Bombers caput manager Mike O'Shea said helium was "so happy" to spot his No. 1 backmost connected the tract Saturday.

"When shot gets taken distant — and it doesn't substance what for — it hurts the guys," helium said. "So to spot him backmost playing, doing thing helium loves to do, and being successful a spot that helium feels truly comfy at, I'm much excited for the man."

Collaros wasted nary clip uncovering his form. Just implicit 7 minutes into Saturday's game, the seasoned escaped the pouch nether unit and hurled a rainbow into the acold country of the extremity portion wherever Dalton Schoen jumped up to marque the grab.

The 15-yard touchdown walk capped a 72-yard, 12-play scoring drive.

"Not playing for a agelong time, you don't uncertainty yourself, obviously, but it's bully to cognize I tin inactive bash this," Collaros said of the play.

He connected connected 18 of his 25 attempts crossed the nighttime and had 2 interceptions.

On the different broadside of the ball, Jeremiah Masoli was 25-for-44, passing for 281 yards with 1 large and 2 interceptions successful his first-ever commencement for the Lions (1-2).

"Definitely country for improvement," the 36-year-old American said of the performance. "It was bully to beryllium retired determination and conscionable putting immoderate agelong drives unneurotic with the boys. But the opportunities that we had and missed, we've got to beryllium able  to currency successful connected those versus a bully team."

Masoli replaced Nathan Rourke arsenic starter aft Rourke suffered a halfway wounded past week.

The Canadian QB dressed for the rematch, but spent the crippled connected the sidelines wearing a shot headdress alternatively of his helmet.

Winnipeg (2-0) was besides without 1 of its stars arsenic Brady Oliveira sat retired with a enarthrosis wounded helium picked up against the
Lions.

Sergio Castillo made bully connected 2 tract goals for the visitors, including a 55-yard strike, and Sean Whyte kicked 2 for B.C. His longest of the nighttime was 43 yards.

Interceptions plagued some sides, but the Bombers were amended capable to capitalize connected the picks Saturday.

Midway done the 2nd quarter, Masoli -- who signed with the Lions arsenic a escaped cause successful February — tossed a harried walk to moving backmost James Butler, who fumbled the ball. Jamal Parker was determination to prime it up and sprint 57 yards the different mode for the Bombers' 2nd large of the night. Castillo deed the person and Winnipeg took a 17-3 lead.

With the Lions down 20-6 aboriginal successful the 4th quarter, Masoli sailed a walk to Ayden Eberhardt heavy successful the extremity zone, lone to spot it picked disconnected by Evan Holm.

B.C. challenged the play, saying determination was nary catch, but a reappraisal upheld the telephone connected the field.

"Once again, we took points disconnected the committee down deep, surefire points," O'Shea said.

On the adjacent drive, Collaros chucked a walk mode up tract to Keric Wheatfall for a 48-yard gain.

The Bombers continued to physique and Collaros capped the thrust with a five-yard crockery to violative lineman Tui Eli successful the extremity zone.

Another person from Castillo gave Winnipeg a 27-6 advantage.

The Lions refused to spell quietly, though.

Late successful the 4th quarter, Robert Carter Jr. nabbed Collaros' walk wrong Winnipeg territory and the Lions capitalized, with Masoli firing a seven-yard dart to Jevon Cottoy conscionable implicit the extremity line.

The QB past handed disconnected to Butler, who rushed successful for a two-point person that sealed the people astatine 27-14.

"That was big, for sure. We wanted to for our pride, conscionable to cognize that we tin get it successful there," Masoli said. "Obviously we
marched down a mates times and weren't capable to get it in.

"It changes the complexion of a crippled erstwhile you're not capable to people and springiness immoderate assistance to your defence. But there's immoderate bully worldly we did contiguous that we tin physique on. And that was 1 of them."