‘We’re not into the business of sensitivity’: Ticats won’t apologize for lucrative offer to Brady Oliveira

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, led by general manager Ed Hervey and head coach Scott Milanovich, are committed to doing all it takes to put the team in the greatest position to win.

For example, the Ticats applied a full-court press to Canadian running back Brady Oliveira during the CFL’s negotiation window. CEO Scott Mitchell, Hervey, and Milanovich chatted with the CFL’s All-Star running back and reigning Most Outstanding Canadian.

“He’s a national player and when you’re out trying to improve your national content on your football team, those are questions that you ask yourself: whether this player fits? And how this player can come in and do things? I have no shame in admitting that, yeah, we definitely kicked the tires to see because we’re all about trying to improve our roster and improve our football team,” Hervey explained.

The Ticats offered Oliveira $275,000 per season on a two-year contract, which totalled $550,000. He declined Hamilton’s offer and signed with the Blue Bombers for $230,000 in year one and $240,000 in year two. That ties the five-foot-ten, 222-pound ball-carrier to the blue and gold through the 2025 season as Winnipeg hosts the Grey Cup that year.

“Our responsibility during free agency is to look at all possible options on how to improve our football team. I think our fans deserve for that to happen. To look at players and see if anyone who hits the market for us to reach out, contact them and talk. There’s an interview process that whole communication week allows us to do those things,” Hervey said.

“Yeah, we were looking but I think we talked to pretty much every free agent that was available that we felt could help our football team. Whether or not things were going to happen or those things were going to come to fruition, there are two sides to that. We weren’t just sitting around just waiting and hoping for people to join us, we wanted to be aggressive and see how people felt about the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.”

Just one year earlier, under Orlondo Steinauer’s leadership, the Ticats signed James Butler coming off a 1,000-yard rushing season with the B.C. Lions. The five-foot-nine, 210-pound back rushed 235 times for 1,116 yards with seven touchdowns while catching 61 passes for 527 yards and one major in his first season in the Hammer.

“We had opportunities to talk with James but you have to also realize that building a championship-level football team sometimes requires you to go out and look to see if there are any ways to improve your roster or even if that is a possibility of improving,” Hervey said.

“Having a conversation with someone, I can tell you we’re not necessarily into the business of sensitivity, we’re in the business of improving what we’re doing, and I think that James understands that. I believe that he’s going to have a great season with us.”

Butler, 29, made $120,000 last season. He is set to earn $107,800 in hard money during the 2024 season, with an extra $5,400 possible in playtime incentives and a $2,000 bonus for topping the CFL in rushing yards. That’s excellent value for Hamilton, but it didn’t stop Hervey.

“What we do when we go out to look at players and talk to men isn’t about whose feelings are being hurt; it’s about trying to construct a championship. And when we get the opportunity to speak and talk, that is what we do,” Hervey stated.

“We’re trying to build and look at how we can strengthen our roster, and that’s about it. So there’s no need to apologize to anyone; it’s simply about ensuring that we’re looking at our roster in the best possible light as the season begins.”