Willard Reaves

Reaves played college football at Northern Arizona University from 1977 to 1980. He rushed for 2,139 yards at university, the best being 1979 when he rushed for 1,084 yards and was voted First-team All Big Sky Conference First-team All American.^{[citation needed]}

In 1992, Reaves was inducted into the Northern Arizona University Athletics Hall of Fame, and in 2002 he became a member of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.^[5]

In October 2021, Reaves was announced as the Manitoba Liberal Party's candidate in the 2022 Fort Whyte by-election to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.^[9] Reaves ultimately lost to Progressive Conservative candidate and fellow former Blue Bomber, Obby Khan. Reaves was defeated by Khan in a rematch in the 2023 Manitoba general election.^[3]

On November 28, 2023, Reaves was named deputy leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party.^[10] He stepped down from that position a few months later on June 26, 2024.^[11]

On September 7, 2025, he announced his run for leader of the Manitoba Liberals, being endorsed by former MLP leader Jon Gerrard.^[12][13] He was acclaimed as leader on September 29, 2025.^[2]

Following his retirement from the NFL, Reaves moved back to Winnipeg and became a sergeant with the Manitoba Sheriff Service. Willard's eldest son, Ryan Reaves, is a professional ice hockey right wing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. Willard's youngest son, Jordan Reaves, is a professional football player with the Edmonton Elks of the CFL. He also has two daughters, Regina and Renee.^[14]

Reaves is the great-great-grandson of Bass Reeves, a former slave who was the first black lawman west of the Mississippi River and among the first black U.S. deputy marshalls; Reeves' life is the focus of the 2023 TV series Lawmen: Bass Reeves.^[15] Bass served as a deputy U.S. marshal in Fort Smith, Arkansas, under the direction of judge Isaac C. Parker, known as the "Hanging Judge".^{[citation needed]}