Hamilton Tiger-Cats general manager Ted Goveia is shown in a handout photo. Goveia has finally been able to lift his head and breathe. It's certainly been a hectic first three months on the job for the Tiger-Cats general manager with no shortage of long days. THE CANADIAN PRESS/CFL **MANDATORY CREDIT**

HAMILTON - Ted Goveia can finally lift his head and breathe.

It's been a hectic first three months for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats general manager but the Burlington, Ont., native doesn't have to look far to gain a sense of perspective or appreciation.

"The other morning I went into the office at 6:30 a.m.," Goveia said. "Got up, grabbed my coffee and drove over the (Burlington skyway) bridge and I'm looking out and the sun was coming up.

"I just sat there smiling as I drove thinking, 'Man, I'm 17 minutes from home.' I do love southern Ontario and appreciate the opportunity to work back at home, for sure."

Goveia was named Hamilton's GM on Dec. 5, 2024, following 11 years with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He began as Winnipeg's assistant GM/player-personnel director before being promoted to senior assistant GM in 2019 following the franchise's 33-12 Grey Cup win over the Ticats.

His first two-plus months on the job in Hamilton were intense as he rounded out his football operations staff, got acclimated with Ticats' existing front-office personnel and prepared for CFL free agency (which began Feb. 11). Although the league's national combine is upcoming (March 21-23 in Regina), Goveia's days, while still busy, are now at least more manageable.

"I felt like I was on a hamster wheel the first couple of months," he said. "But the last few weeks as we got through free agency I've been able to come up and breathe a bit and reintroduce myself to my partner.

"But I expected that. There's always a lot more work in the beginning."

The Ticats (7-11) missed the 2024 CFL playoffs and last won the Grey Cup in 1999. They've been to the big game four times since, coming close in 2014 (20-16 loss to Calgary) and 2021 (33-25 overtime home defeat to Winnipeg).

"I don't own that record (championship drought) and neither do our players," Goveia said. "I get the question but it doesn't change the way I work and never will.

"The goal is always to play and win the last game but that's tough to do. Everyone is working hard to get there and I believe we'll get there."

Given the team's 2024 finish, it wasn't surprising Hamilton was active in free agency. It did add veteran defensive back DaShaun Amos (Toronto) and linebacker Reggie Stubblefield (Montreal) but Goveia also trusted his gut in signing eight former Bombers, including receivers Kenny Lawler and Drew Wolitarsky, offensive lineman Liam Dobson and running back Johnny Augustine.

"Look, I don't believe in building a team through free agency," Goveia said. "It's not something I strive to do every year but there are certain guys who I knew could help us … I wanted players who had experience winning and being in good cultures.

"Part of winning in our league is bringing in guys who enjoy coming to work, practising, spending time together and that's part of building a team. It's not always the best athletes, it's the best team and I was very fortunate to have those guys (former Bombers) come available at the time, same with Amos and Stubblefield."

Hamilton led the CFL in net offence (406.1 yards per game), passing (332.1 yards), TD strikes (35) and was second in offensive points (26.5 per game) and TDs (52) last season. Veteran Bo Levi Mitchell was the league leader in passing (5,451 yards) and TDs (32) following an injury-plagued 2023.

"I wanted to keep our strengths our strengths," Goveia said. "That's one of the reasons why I brought in Kenny Lawler, I believe Bo can win a Grey Cup and I believe putting up points early in the season is important.

"We'll have some growing pains on defence, there's no doubt about it. But I think with the veterans we've brought to the secondary, people will have to earn their stripes to get points on us."

Amos reunites with all-star cornerback Jamal Peters as the two helped Toronto win the 2022 Grey Cup. Stubblefield earned a ring the next season with Montreal.

However, tackle Casey Sayles is Hamilton's lone returning defensive lineman although Julian Howsare is back, via free agency, following two seasons in Calgary.

But Goveia said it's crucial to address needs/concerns one at a time rather than trying to do so all at once. It's one of many lessons he learned in Winnipeg and has brought to his current post.

Winnipeg has been a model of consistency since 2016, registering eight straight 10-win seasons and five consecutive Grey Cup appearances. However, it wasn't always that way.

"People forget the first two years were tough," said Goveia, referring to the Bombers' failure to make the playoffs in 2014 and 2015. "I learned the value of continuity, of consistently working at it and there never was a time when we had success that I'd stop and think, 'OK, we've arrived.'

"I always operated fearing failure, to be honest, it's always just working hard. That's why I'm actually just looking forward to working toward training camp rather than celebrating its arrival because the joy is in building it right now."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 5, 2025.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2025