CFL: 13th season

Stamps: 1st season

Games played through 2024

Regular season: 191

Playoffs: 14

Grey Cup: 5

Acquired

Signed on June 22, 2025.

Pro path

• 2011 – Signed by BC Lions (CFL) on May 31
• 2017 – Signed by New Orleans Saints (NFL) on Jan.4. He played three games during the 2017 season and recorded one defensive tackle. He was released on May 14, 2018
• 2018 – Signed by Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL) on May 19

2025

(Calgary) Bighill joined the Stampeders’ practice squad on June 22.

2024

(Winnipeg) Bighill played 10 games and made 10 starts for the Blue Bombers. He made 48 tackles including one tackle for loss and also had one sack and one knockdown. Bighill was named the winner of the Tom Pate Memorial Award for making a significant contribution to his team, community and the players’ association.

2023

(Winnipeg) Bighill played 17 games and made 17 starts at linebacker. He led the Blue Bombers with 74 defensive tackles and also logged three tackles for loss, four sacks and one fumble recovery that he returned 26 yards for a touchdown against Edmonton in Week 20. Bighill was in uniform for both the Western Final and the Grey Cup and had one defensive tackle in each game.

2022

(Winnipeg) Bighill earned the eighth West Division all-star nod of his career after recording 72 tackles including one tackle for loss, two sacks, one interception and four knockdowns in 18 games. He had four tackles in the Western Final and one tackle in the Grey Cup.

2021

(Winnipeg) Bighill was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player for the third time in his career and was also a West Division and CFL all-star. He played all 14 games for the Blue Bombers and led the team with 70 tackles. He had three tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, one knockdown and two fumble recoveries including one that he returned for a touchdown. Bighill had eight tackles in the Western Final and five tackles in the Grey Cup game to help the Bombers defeat Hamilton.

2019

(Winnipeg) Bighill played 15 games and had 61 tackles including two tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two knockdowns. Bighill had six combined tackles in the Western Semi-Final and Western Final and recorded four tackles in Winnipeg’s Grey Cup victory over Hamilton.

2018

(Winnipeg) In his return to the CFL after a one-year stint in the NFL, Bighill joined the Blue Bombers and had an outstanding season, winning the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player award and being named a West Division and CFL all-star. He was also Winnipeg’s nominee for Most Outstanding Player. In 18 games, Bighill made 105 tackles – the fourth 100-tackle season of his career – and had a career-high eight tackles for loss. He added one special-teams tackle, four sacks, two interceptions including one pick-six, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two knockdowns. In two playoff games, Bighill had six tackles and one knockdown.

2016

(BC) Bighill was named a division and league all-star after playing all 18 games and recording 108 tackles including one tackle for loss, one special-teams stop, five sacks, one interception that he returned 28 yards and four knockdowns. In two playoff games, Bighill recorded a total of 10 defensive tackles.

2015

(BC) Bighill was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player after leading the league with 121 defensive tackles. He also had seven tackles for loss, seven special-teams tackles, four sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery as he earned West Division and CFL all-star honours. Against Calgary in the Western Semi-Final, Bighill had five defensive tackles and one special-teams takedown.

2014

(BC) Bighill was a West Division all-star after registering 77 tackles including two tackles for loss, six sacks, one interception, one fumble recovery, two forced fumbles and two knockdowns in 17 games. He had six tackles in the playoffs as the Lions crossed over to face Montreal in the Eastern Semi-Final.

2013

(BC) Bighill was named a division and CFL all-star for the second consecutive season and was BC’s nominee for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player after a season in which he recorded 92 defensive tackles and nine sacks. Bighill’s statline also featured four tackles for loss, one interception that he returned 44 yards, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries including one that he returned for a touchdown and five knockdowns. He started the Western Semi-Final and had six defensive tackles and one special-teams stop.

2012

(BC) Bighill became a starter in his second season with the Lions and he earned West Division and CFL all-star honours. He was BC’s nominee for the league’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player award. Bighill played and started all 18 regular-season games and made 104 tackles including seven tackles for loss, 16 special-teams stops, nine sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and four knockdowns. He had nine defensive tackles and two special-teams tackles against Calgary in the Western Final.

2011

(BC) In his rookie season, Bighill suited up for 12 games and had seven defensive tackles, 22 special-teams stops, one fumble recovery and one blocked punt. Despite playing just two-thirds of the Lions’ games, he finished fourth in the CFL in special-teams tackles. He had the first four defensive tackles of his career as well as four special-teams stops in Week 4 against Hamilton. Bighill notched a season-high five special-teams tackles against Edmonton in Week 14. He was in uniform for the Western Final and had one special-teams tackle in a Grey Cup game victory over Winnipeg.

Notable

First game: June 30, 2011, at Montreal

First defensive tackle: July 22, 2011, vs Hamilton

First special-teams tackle: July 16, 2011, at Edmonton

First interception: July 6, 2012, vs Hamilton

First sack: July 6, 2012, vs Hamilton

West Division all-star: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2022

CFL all-star: 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2021

Honoured: CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2015, 2018 and 2021

Honoured: Tom Pate Memorial Award winner in 2024

Honoured: Team’s nominee for Most Outstanding Player with BC in 2013 and 2015 and with Winnipeg in 2018

Honoured: Team’s nominee for Most Outstanding Defensive Player with BC in 2012, 2013 and 2015 and with Winnipeg in 2018 and 2021

College

Bighill was a standout at Central Washington University, earning Great Northwest Athletic Conference co-defensive player of the year, first-team all-GNAC and first-team American Football Coaches Association all-American honours during his time with the Wildcats. He was also second-team all-conference on two occasions. Bighill had 314 total tackles at Central Washington including 46 tackles for loss and added 11 sacks and seven interceptions. He was enshrined into Central Washington’s Hall of Fame in 2023.

Personal

Bighill, who was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate, is president of Making Faces, an organization dedicated to helping children with facial differences. He is an alumnus of Montesano (Wash.) High School.