James West: Dominant in the late ‘80s

James West played much of his career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but got his start in Calgary.

Source: https://www.bluebombers.com/2026/02/15/black-history-month-feature-james-west/

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He terrorized opposing quarterbacks, runningbacks, and receivers patrolling the defence of my beloved Calgary Stampeders. It was a team that looked to be on the way out. The next minute he was gone, and the minute after that tragedy struck – James West was playing with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

He would go on to a storied career and induction in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

I was thinking about those days in Calgary, and his disappearance, and re-emergence with the enemy. It was the other day when I heard James West had been inducted into the Texas Southern University Hall of Fame.

Calgary Stampeder
After playing for Texas Southern, James West joined the Oakland Raiders of the NFL. After The Raiders released West, he joined the Calgary Stampeders for the 1982 season. He appeared in nine games in 1982, registering one quarterback sack and recovering two fumbles.

In 1983, West played in 15 games, had 8.5 quarterback sacks, intercepted two passing returning them for 61 yards; and recovered three fumbles. He also blocked a punt. For his efforts, he was named a West Division All-star.

The following year, 1984, West played in 13 games, registering four quarterback sacks, intercepting two passes for 31 yards and a touchdown, and recovering a fumble.

James West was a free agent after the 1984 season, and would never play another game for the Stampeders.

Disappearing act
In 1983, the United States Football League began as a Spring football league, taking aim at the NFL. However, in the process, a lot of CFL players ended up jumping to the USFL as well.

Back then, without regular access to a newspaper, no sports channels in existence yet, and local TV news not covering a lot of sports beyond the CFL and NFL, it was hard to learn much about player movement.

James West chose to sign with the Houston Gamblers of the USFL in the Spring of 1985. However, he returned to the CFL in September, signing with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He would suit up with them for the next eight years.

I was heart broken, because the Stampeders needed West a lot more than Winnipeg, who had won the Grey Cup in 1984.

Blue Bomber
West played in just five games for the Bombers in the 1985 season, recording no sacks, interceptions or fumble recoveries.

Everything changed in 1986. He played in 18 games, had four sacks, two interceptions for three yards and a touchdown, and recovered a fumble.

In 1987, the CFL started keeping track of tackles as a statistic. West appeared in 18 games, registering seven sacks and 75 tackles, and recovered a fumble. He was named Outstanding Defensive Player in the East and runner-up for the CFL award. West was also an East Division all-star and CFL All-star that season.

He continued to dominate in 1988, playing 17 games, sacking quarterbacks eight times, making 79 tackles, intercepting three passes for 63 yards, and recovering four fumbles. He was an East Division All-star again in 1988, as he helped the Bombers win the Grey Cup over the B.C. Lions.

West closed out the decade in 1989, appearing in 12 games, registering five sacks and 69 tackles, and intercepting three passes returning them 33 yards. He was also an East Division all-star and CFL All-star in 1989.

The years after
James West would play for the Bombers through the 1992 season, winning another Grey Cup with Winnipeg in 1990 but losing in 1992 to the Calgary Stampeders. In 1993, he was traded to the B.C. Lions, and retired after the 1993 season.

He finished with career totals of 51.5 quarterback sacks, 21 interceptions, and 19 fumble recoveries. He returned two interceptions and one fumble recovery for touchdowns.

James West was inducted in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

Parting thoughts\
One thing I could never understand was the number of players who got their start with the Calgary Stampeders, but went on to success with other teams. Granted, there was generally a lot of player movement in the CFL, but it was always more noticeable when players such as James Sykes, Ray Crouse, or James West left Calgary and joined Winnipeg. They were already a powerhouse, so I guess maybe those players wanted a chance to win a Grey Cup. Winnipeg gave them that chance every year, especially when they moved to the East Division in 1987.

What made it hurt was when an impact player like James West went to another team. He was such a good player, flowing to the ball and always making tackles.

The evidence of his great play came when the CFL started keeping track of tackles. It just showed what a great linebacker he was. That was also illustrated by the number of interceptions and fumble recoveries he recorded.

James West was just a dominant player in the last half of the ‘80s.