Troy Westwood wasn’t surprised the Bombers gave him the boot, but the veteran kicker thinks he can still play in the CFL.
Troy Westwood is not ready to end his professional football career, even though he's realistic enough to know the choice may not be his anymore.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers, in what can only be described as a stunning move, announced on Sunday that the 17-year veteran has been released, placing Westwood's future in doubt.
"I'm 41-years old and that's not a positive and then if you look right across the board, there might be one team that I can think of that I won't mention that might possibly bring me in," he told Sportsnet.ca in his first interview with the media after his release. "And if somebody suffers an injury, then I don't know how many Canadians are out there that can do the job. But it's something I don't really think of. I will continue to work out avidly because that's the lifestyle I choose to have, but whether or not I'll have another opportunity I have no idea and I wouldn't dare guess on that."
The Dauphin, Manitoba native, famous in the CFL for his long hair and colourful opinions, holds 30 team records with the Bombers, including all-time scoring (2,741) and most seasons as leading scorer (15). He is the CFL's record-holder for best field-goal percentage in the playoffs (85.7). He has kicked a league-leading 663 consecutive regular-season point-after conversions and is fourth in league history in scoring.
Westwood had been on the bubble several times last year because of his field-goal kicking and was on and off the active roster. He played in 12 games and finished with 20 successful field goals in 33 attempts. Coincidentally, he developed as one of the best punters when the team decided to make him its permanent all-purpose kicker in the playoffs. He nailed all four field-goal attempts in the first two post-season games and was particularly effective in the Grey Cup, which Winnipeg lost 23-19 to Saskatchewan, with a 56-yard average on 11 punts and had two fields goals and a convert.
In the team's first pre-season game earlier this week, in which Winnipeg lost 12-10 to Hamilton, he missed a 42-yard field goal and had two punts travel into the end zone instead of the designed plan to direct them out of bounds inside the 20-yard line. He believes that may have pushed head coach Doug Berry "over the edge."
"I can't say that I wasn't surprised," he said in reference to his release. "I have no question whatsoever that I'm by far the best punter far in camp, but after the proceedings of last year and things that were said on day two of camp, I've somewhat become numb to the whole escapade."
Westwood had no reason to believe that based on his strong finish last year he would not be back as the Bombers' kicker/punter.
"I'm punting as well now as I did at the end of last year," he said. "I'm not sure what the reason was. Doug Berry mentioned day two into camp that he felt I lost my leg and I wasn't kicking to where I was at last year and I don't agree with that.
"The only reason I'm not more known as a punter was because (Bob Cameron) was here and we had an agreement that I didn't punt. In the two full years I punted in the league I finished in the top half and in Winnipeg I think that's saying something. And then what I did last year it's obvious I can punt -- there's no question about it -- and I think I'm pretty good at directional punting and I think I have much power left. It's not from a lack of ability. I have no doubt whatsoever in my ability to do both jobs at a high level."
It could be argued that Westwood received sufficient chances with Winnipeg to prove himself, but that ultimately Berry lost confidence in him.
"I don't even think it's about chances," he said. "It's about a coach wanting to make a change. Period. I wasn't allowed to compete for the punting job last year in training camp. That was conveyed to me over the radio two days before camp. I had an opportunity last year through an injury to do both jobs during the regular season. During that game I had eight punts for 57.3 yard average and netted 52 yards. We won the game and I was two-for-two (in field goals). The injury the punter (Pat Fleming) suffered was a concussion and I was brought into (Berry's) office two or three days afterward and was told I was being benched and that the guy who suffered the concussion was going to play the next game. After that point it became glaringly obvious to me that my performance had very little to do with what has happening to me and I just tried to overcome whatever obstacles I thought were in my way and in the end I had 39 punts that averaged 48.6 yards. And in the games that I was allowed to do both jobs, I went eight for nine in field goals."
Westwood doesn't believe the release had anything to do with a personality clash with Berry.
"I've never had a problem with him. I've been nothing but very respectful to him from the very first day. I don't have an issue with Doug Berry."
The Bombers have Alexis Serna, a rookie import out of Oregon State, on their roster and he can punt and place kick, but Bombers general manager Brendan Taman told Sportsnet.ca he expects Serna to be the place kicker. Brian Monroe, University of Miami grad, is also on the roster, but he's solely a punter. A source said the Bombers may give free agent Duncan O'Mahoney, who has played for several CFL teams, a look.