Grey Cup may be Milt Stegall's last hurrah

If it turns out Milt Stegall's career ends without a Grey Cup, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers star receiver is ready for it.

The 37-year-old, who has probably been the best CFL pass catcher of his generation, is expected to play his last game when the Blue Bombers face the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Grey Cup game on Sunday at Toronto's Rogers Centre (CBC, 5:30 p.m. ET).

Milt Stegall catches a football at Wednesday's workout in Toronto.
(Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

His only previous shot at the Cup was in 2001, when the Bombers were beaten by Calgary in Montreal despite a big effort from Stegall, who caught seven passes for 118 yards and scored a touchdown.

Winnipeg will go into this one as the underdog with backup Ryan Dinwiddie starting at quarterback in place of CFL passing leader Kevin Glenn, who broke his arm in the East Division final against Toronto.

"That's the reason I came back this year," Stegall said. "I knew that we had a great shot at not only going to the Grey Cup, but winning the Grey Cup.

"A lot of people asked me that, if you don't win and your career ends, will it be a letdown? I don't like to think about that.

"I like to look at the positive and be optimistic in all situations. I always think I'm going to win every game and make every play so, if it is my last game, then whatever happens, happens."

The "if" lingers in all of the 13-year CFL veteran's answers to questions about retirement.

He has said he is 99.9 per cent certain about hanging up his cleats.

But he won't concede that slim possibility that he might play another season.

He has been grilled about it so often that when it came up again after the Bombers' first Grey Cup week practice, he asked the Winnipeg media to answer it for him.

According to Stegall, there are only six things guaranteed in life: Death, taxes, trouble, and "that Milt will be on time, that Milt will be in tip-top shape and that Milt will be looking great. Those are the only guarantees.

"So there's always a small percentage that I may be back. There's still hope."

He said that whether the Bombers win or lose on Sunday it will have no bearing on his decision.

If 2007 is his final season, Stegall will end on a high note.

Set CFL record for TDs

After signing a one-year contract extension, Stegall bested the record of 137 career CFL touchdowns shared by former running backs Mike Pringle and George Reed and ended the season with 144.

The Cincinnati native also holds records for receiving touchdowns with 141, most TDs in one season with 23 in 2002, and the highest average yards per catch in a season with 26.5 in 1997.

He has the Bombers team record for receiving yards in a season with 1,896 set in 2002, when he was named the league's outstanding player.

"I've been fortunate," Stegall said. "I've been playing professional football for 16 years [he returned kicks for the Cincinnati Bengals his first three pro seasons].

"I never had to do a resume or a [job] interview. I've met some great friends. I've been in a great place, which is Winnipeg. I just take it day by day."

Ready for retirement

Stegall is second in all-time receiving yards with 14,634, well within striking distance of the career leader Allen Pitts, who had 14,891, if he opts to play another year.

But all signs point to retirement.

Stegall admits he isn't as quick as he was in his heyday and, this season, he had some rough games in which he dropped passes and began to look his age on the field.

And the Blue Bombers have what appears to be a Stegall clone in slotback Arjei Franklin ready to take over.

If retirement comes, Stegall's ready for it.

"I'm going to be a house-husband," he said with a grin.

"Whenever I retire, I'm going to just sit down for a while, have some fun with my son [Chase, 3]. I'm a penny-pincher, so I've saved up a little money where I can relax a bit."

He could also end up in television, as he did at the 2006 Grey Cup in Winnipeg.

But first, there's a Grey Cup game to be played in which Stegall will be counted on more than ever for leadership.

Impressed by Dinwiddie

Dinwiddie looked good filling in for Glenn in the fourth quarter of the East final against Toronto, but it will be the first CFL start for the second-year backup quarterback.

Dinwiddie calls Stegall "a class act, a great teammate and obviously the best player ever to play in this league."

Stegall is impressed with Dinwiddie, too.

"He has the John Elway mentality that says, 'I'm cocky because I'm confident that I know what I'm doing,'" Stegall said. "That's the way I think a quarterback should be.

"What a game to get your first start in. But once he got to play [last Sunday], I looked in his eyes and saw that confidence that he was going to lead us down the field and that's exactly what he did."

The Bombers practised for two hours Wednesday at the Rogers Centre.

Cornerback Juran Bolden, who suffered a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of the East final, is in doubt for the Grey Cup game.

Offensive right guard Andrew Greene, who sat out with the flu, was back with the team.