Kyle Walters

Kyle Walters (born July 23, 1973) is a Canadian former professional football defensive back and is currently the general manager for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.

Playing career

University Walters played CIAU football for the Guelph Gyphons from 1992-1996. He was named team captain in 1996, and capturing the Yates Championship in 1992 and 1996.

Professional Walters was drafted by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the second round (10th overall) in the 1996 CFL Draft.

He played for seven seasons for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and won a Grey Cup championship as a player with the team in 1999.

University coaching career Following his retirement as a player, Walters became a coach at Guelph, holding the title of defensive coordinator from 2004 to 2005.

Management

Assistant General Manager On December 5, 2012, Walters was named the Blue Bombers' Assistant General Manager and Director of Canadian Scouting. In this role, Walters acquired Canadian offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld from the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The team went 2-10 under Walters, and ultimately missed the CFL playoffs for the second consecutive season.

Following the season, Wade Miller, who had been the team's Acting CEO since August, became the team's President and CEO, and on November 26, he named Walters the Blue Bombers' General Manager. In early December, Walters made three hirings that laid a foundation of continuity in the football operations that would last over a decade. On December 2, the hirings of Danny McManus (Assistant General Manager, Director of U.S. Scouting) and Ted Goveia (Assistant General Manager, Director of Player Personnel) were announced. On December 4, the hiring of Head Coach Mike O'Shea was announced. Throughout their tenure, Walters has preferred to do the scouting for the team and work in the background, while O'Shea has done most of the media interviews for the team. With the football operations finalized, the Blue Bombers started to gradually rebuild their team.

2014 In 2014, the Blue Bombers acquired Drew Willy from Saskatchewan to be the team's starting quarterback. Buck Pierce, who had been a Blue Bomber quarterback from 2010 to 2013, had been traded to the BC Lions late in 2013. He was brought back to be the team's running backs coach. The team started 5–1, but ultimately finished 7–11 and out of the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

2015 In 2015, the Blue Bombers brought Richie Hall in to be the defensive coordinator. Offensive lineman Stanley Bryant was acquired from the Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders. Quarterback Matt Nichols was acquired from Edmonton during the season. After a 3–3 start, the Blue Bombers finished 5–13 and out of the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

2016 In 2016, Winnipeg signed Paul LaPolice to be their offensive coordinator. LaPolice had been the offensive coordinator in Winnipeg from 2002 to 2003, and head coach from 2010 to 2012, when he was fired during the season. As head coach, Lapolice brought Walters in to be the team's special teams coordinator, and the team went to the Grey Cup in 2011. Offensive lineman Jermarcus Hardrick was acquired from Saskatchewan, as was receiver Weston Dressler. Kicker Justin Medlock was acquired from Hamilton. Running back Andrew Harris, a Winnipeg native, was signed after playing for several years with the BC Lions.

After a 1–4 start, the Blue Bombers replaced Willy with Nichols at quarterback, and the team finished 11–7, third place in the West Division. Unfortunately, they lost to the BC Lions in the West Semi-Final. Following the season, Walters and O'Shea, who were in the final year of their respective contracts, agreed to contract extensions (Walters through 2020 and O'Shea through 2019).

2017 In 2017, the Blue Bombers improved to 12–6, second place in the West, but lost to Edmonton in the West Semi-Final. Defensive lineman Jackson Jeffcoat and defensive back Brandon Alexander were two noteworthy acquisitions by the team.

2018 In 2018, Winnipeg won the West Semi-Final in Saskatchewan, but lost the West Final to Calgary. Linebacker Adam Bighill and receiver Nic Demski were signed. Rookie quarterback Chris Streveler started the first three games of the season while Nichols was injured.

2019 In 2019, defensive lineman Willie Jefferson and receiver Rasheed Bailey were signed, and receiver Kenny Lawler became a regular contributor. Brady Oliveira was drafted. After nine games, Nichols was leading the CFL in touchdown passes (15) and passer rating (107.2), but suffered an upper-body injury in Week 10 against the BC Lions which sidelined him for the rest of the season. Streveler started a number of games, but was playing injured late in the season. On October 9, just prior to the trade deadline, the Blue Bombers acquired quarterback Zach Collaros from Toronto.

In the West Semi-Final, Winnipeg defeated Calgary on the road, then defeated Saskatchewan in the West Final on the road. In the 107th Grey Cup, Winnipeg defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33–12, which ended the Blue Bombers' 29 year Grey Cup drought. Walters' contract was extended through 2023, while O'Shea's was extended through 2022.

2020 The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 In 2021, the Blue Bombers were able to maintain a roster largely intact following the hiatus 2020 season. They finished first place in the West Division with a league-best 11–3 record, and went undefeated at home. This was the first time they finished first place in the West Division since 1972; they had finished first place in the East Division several times over the years. The Blue Bombers hosted the Saskatchewan Roughriders as they had in the 1972 West Final, but unlike that year, the Blue Bombers defeated the Roughriders 21–17. This victory allowed the Blue Bombers to qualify for their second consecutive Grey Cup appearance, something the team had not done since 1992–1993. Winnipeg would once again defeat Hamilton in the 108th Grey Cup, this time played at Hamilton's home stadium, 33–25 in overtime. This was the last game Andrew Harris would play for the Blue Bombers.

2022 In 2022, the Blue Bombers once again finished with the best record in the CFL, this time 15–3. They would host BC in the West Final, defeating them 28–20. The Blue Bombers would qualify for their third consecutive Grey Cup appearance, something not done since 1957–1959. The Blue Bombers lost to the Toronto Argonauts in the 109th Grey Cup game 24–23. Andrew Harris, who had signed with Toronto in the offseason, was a contributor to this result.

2023 In 2023, the Blue Bombers finished 14–4, good for first place in the West Division for the third consecutive season, but second in the league to the defending Grey Cup champion, Toronto Argonauts, who finished 16–2. Winnipeg defeated BC in the West Final for the second consecutive season, qualifying them for their fourth consecutive Grey Cup appearance. In the 110th Grey Cup game, the Blue Bombers lost on a last second touchdown to the Montreal Alouettes.

After the season, Walters signed a contract extension, keeping him in Winnipeg through the 2025 season.

2024 In 2024, Winnipeg started 0–4 and 2–6. In the team's ninth game, they shutout the BC Lions 25–0 at home, and held the Lions to four first downs for the entire game. In the team's 10th game of the season, after a bye week, Winnipeg defeated BC once again. The Blue Bombers finished with a winning record for the eighth consecutive season, first in the West Division for the fourth consecutive season, and appeared in the West Final for the sixth consecutive season. In the West Final, Winnipeg defeated Saskatchewan 38–22 en route to their fifth consecutive Grey Cup appearance, but lost the 111th Grey Cup game to Toronto for the second time in three years.

2025 In 2025, the Blue Bombers finished 10–8, good enough for the crossover the East Division playoffs. The team lost to Montreal in the East Semi-Final.

CFL GM record Team Year Regular season PostseasonWonLostTiesWin %Finish Won Lost ResultWPG20132100.166 4th in East Division - - Interim - Failed to QualifyWPG20147110.388 5th in West Division - - Failed to QualifyWPG20155130.278 4th in West Division - - Failed to QualifyWPG20161170.611 3rd in West Division 0 1 Lost in Division Semi-FinalsWPG20171260.667 2nd in West Division 0 1 Lost in Division Semi-FinalsWPG20181080.556 3rd in West Division 1 1 Lost in Division FinalWPG20191170 .611 3rd in West Division 3 0 Won 107th Grey CupWPG2020---- - - - Season CancelledWPG20211130.786 1st in West Division 2 0 Won 108th Grey CupWPG20221530.833 1st in West Division 1 1 Lost in 109th Grey CupWPG20231440.778 1st in West Division 1 1 Lost in 110th Grey CupWPG20241170.611 1st in West Division 1 1 Lost in 111th Grey CupWPG20251080.556 4th in West Division 0 1 Lost in Division Semi-FinalsTotal119870 .5784 DivisionChampionships 9 7 2 Grey Cups