| Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
 Wolitarsky with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2022 | |
| Born: | (1995-03-22)March 22, 1995 (age 30)[1] Santa Clarita, California, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Status | Active |
| CFL status | National |
| Position(s) | Wide receiver |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Weight | 223 lb (101 kg) |
| College | Minnesota |
| High school | Canyon High |
| CFL draft | 2017, round: Supplemental |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 2017–2024 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 2025–present | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Career stats | |
| Games played | 96 |
| Receptions | 227 |
| Receiving yards | 2,954 |
| Receiving touchdowns | 18 |
| |
Drew William Wolitarsky (born March 22, 1995) is an American–Canadian professionalfootballwide receiver for theHamilton Tiger-Cats of theCanadian Football League (CFL).[1] He is a two-timeGrey Cup champion after winning with the Blue Bombers in2019 and2021.
Wolitarksy played for theMinnesota Golden Gophers from 2013 to 2016.[2] Over the course of his collegiate career, he played in 47 games where he recorded 130 receptions for 1,749 yards and nine touchdowns.[2] In his final game as a college athlete, in the2016 Holiday Bowl, Wolitarsky led his team in receiving with five catches for 73 yards in the upset win over theWashington State Cougars.[2][3]
Following his time with the Golden Gophers, Wolitarsky was not selected in the2017 NFL draft and had an unsuccessful tryout with theMinnesota Vikings.[4] His brother, Austin, encouraged him pursue a career in theCanadian Football League where he could qualify as aNational player with a Canadian citizenship since his mother was fromMontreal.[5] He applied for his citizenship, got it approved in one day, and notified theCanadian Football League Players' Association who relayed the information to the league's teams.[4] Since the2017 CFL Draft had already passed, Wolitarsky was made eligible in a supplemental draft where he was selected by theWinnipeg Blue Bombers on June 27, 2017 who forfeited a third round selection in the2018 CFL Draft for his playing rights.[6] He signed a practice roster agreement on July 11, 2017.[7] Wolitarsky played in his first professional game on October 6, 2017 against theHamilton Tiger-Cats where he had one catch for 15 yards.[8] He played in five regular season games in his rookie season and also dressed in the team's West Semi-Final loss to theEdmonton Eskimos.[8]
Wolitarsky earned a starting position with the Blue Bombers following 2018 training camp and in his first career regular season start on June 14, 2021, against the Eskimos, he scored his first career touchdown on a 20-yard reception from his former college teammate,Chris Streveler.[9] He had a career-high 10 receptions for 90 yards in an August 25, 2018, game against theCalgary Stampeders.[8] He played and started in all 18 regular season games where he had 45 catches for 650 yards and five touchdowns.[8][10] He also started in both post-season games where he totalled six receptions for 81 yards and one touchdown.[10]
During his third season with the Blue Bombers, Wolitarsky played and started in 17 regular season games and had 33 catches for 361 yards and four touchdowns.[10] He also played in both playoff games, recording five catches for 78 yards, leading to Wolitarsky playing in his firstGrey Cup championship game. In the107th Grey Cup, he had three catches for 40 yards as the Blue Bombers defeated theHamilton Tiger-Cats 33-12 and Wolitarsky won his first championship. After that season, he signed a two-year extension to remain in Winnipeg through the2021 season.[11] However, he did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the2020 CFL season. In 2021, Wolitarsky produced 386 yards and one touchdown on 32 receptions.[1] He also played in both post-season games that year, including the108th Grey Cup game where he had four receptions for 48 yards as he won his second Grey Cup championship.[12]
In2022, Wolitarsky played in 14 regular season games where he had 36 catches for 471 yards and one touchdown.[12] He also had one catch for eight yards in the109th Grey Cup loss to theToronto Argonauts.[12] In the2023 season, he played in all 18 regular season games where he had a career-high 47 receptions for 668 yards and six touchdowns.[12] He played in his fourth Grey Cup game where he had one catch for nine yards in the110th Grey Cup against theMontreal Alouettes.[12] Wolitarsky played in just 10 games in2024 where he had 33 catches for 403 yards and one touchdown.[13] After seven seasons with the Blue Bombers, he was released on January 27, 2025.[14]
On February 2, 2025, it was announced that theHamilton Tiger-Cats had signed Wolitarsky.[15]
| Receiving | Regular season | Post-season | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | GP | GS | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD | GP | GS | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD | ||
| 2017 | WPG | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2018 | WPG | 18 | 18 | 45 | 650 | 14.4 | 60 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 81 | 13.5 | 20 | 1 | ||
| 2019 | WPG | 17 | 17 | 33 | 361 | 10.9 | 24 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 118 | 14.8 | 34 | 0 | ||
| 2020 | WPG | Season cancelled | Season cancelled | ||||||||||||||
| 2021 | WPG | 14 | 14 | 32 | 386 | 12.1 | 37 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 70 | 11.7 | 19 | 0 | ||
| 2022 | WPG | 14 | 14 | 36 | 471 | 13.1 | 41 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 35 | 11.7 | 18 | 0 | ||
| 2023 | WPG | 18 | 18 | 47 | 668 | 14.2 | 36 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2024 | WPG | 10 | 10 | 33 | 403 | 12.2 | 25 | 1 | Injured | ||||||||
| CFL totals | 96 | 91 | 227 | 2,954 | 13.0 | 60 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 25 | 323 | 12.9 | 34 | 1 | |||
Wolitarksy was born inSanta Clarita, California, to John and Audrey Wolitarsky.[2] His mother was originally fromMontreal where she met his father, who was from theUnited States but living in Montreal.[5][16] Due to his mother's Canadian citizenship, Wolitarsky pursued his own citizenship for Canada and received it in time to be able to play in the2017 CFL season.[16] Wolitarsky is also a musician and released his firstEP on January 29, 2021.[17]
On March 8, 2024, it was announced via instagram that he had married his fiance, Savannah Benton. The subsequently announced they were expecting on April 25, 2024, also via their instagram.
