Bombers’ Jefferson says trash-talking family isn’t off limits, unsure what Reese said

WINNIPEG — Winnipeg Blue Bombers rookie defensive lineman David Reese didn’t have to answer any questions Sunday about his controversial trash talking with Montreal Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander.

Reese wasn’t made available to local reporters during final player interviews, although his teammates had heard how he supposedly taunted Alexander about his deceased father during Montreal’s 33-23 CFL East Division final win Saturday.

Bombers veteran defensive end Willie Jefferson said he didn’t hear Reese say anything to Alexander during the game, but he talked to him about it after he heard the accusation.

“He just said like they was talking on the field,” Jefferson said. “He didn’t necessarily say that that’s what he said, so I’m not going to go off on what somebody else said.”

In his post-game media interview, Alexander wasn’t specific about what Reese said about his father, who died of lung cancer at age 56 in 2024.

“I don’t want to air the guy out, but it wasn’t just one time, it wasn’t twice — it was multiple times,” Alexander said of Reese’s taunts. “Just everything that I’ve been through, and I didn’t say a word to him.

“But yeah, no matter what, no matter what, there is no need for that. In the heat of the moment, there’s no excuse.”

Reese was interviewed by a Winnipeg Free Press reporter after the game and denied he talked to Alexander about his late father.

“I don’t know what he’s talking about,” the 26-year-old from Florida told the newspaper. “If that’s the case, I should go and tell what he be saying, huh? He’s a sore loser, to be honest.

“As a matter of fact, I don’t even know what to say to that. I don’t even know what he’s talking about. I don’t even think he’s that good, for real.”

Reese wouldn’t reveal what Alexander said to him because “it ain’t appropriate to repeat.”

Jefferson said trash talking goes both ways.

“Everybody, especially on the defensive line, had their opportunity to get close to Davis and have the back and forth with him,” the 12-year veteran said. “He talks a lot, we talk a lot, so you never know what’s being said on the field.”

Sometimes it does get nasty as players try to throw an opponent off their game, Jefferson admitted.

“There’s a lot of good trash talking, there’s a lot of bad trash talking,” he said. “You’ve got to find your niche in what you can say and what you can’t say, so it is what it is.”

Family isn’t off limits.

“Guys talk about people’s families all the time,” Jefferson said. “Talk about guys’ wives, girlfriends, moms, dads, kids — all that type of stuff.

“It’s not something that you say to try to demonize that person or demonize yourself, but the mental, psychological part of the game, just trying to get under somebody’s skin to take the edge off of them to put a little more edge on yourself.”

Alexander had went up to Bombers’ coach Mike O’Shea right after the game and told him No. 45 (Reese’s jersey number) “was talking about my dad.”

O’Shea wasn’t available as part of the players’ season-ending interviews with media.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2026.

Judy Owen, The Canadian Press