Nathan Rourke has officially signed an extension with the B.C. Lions that will keep him with the team through the 2028 season. The decision to remain with the Lions stems from his desire to continue improving as a quarterback and to build on the momentum generated by his team. “In professional sports, any type of stability is hard to come by, so you jump at opportunities like this,” Rourke expressed during a press conference on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old quarterback from Victoria was set to enter the last year of his previous contract, which began in 2024 after his NFL stint. Rourke is looking forward to his second season under head coach and offensive coordinator Buck Pierce. “I think the Lions are really close,” he stated. “We certainly built a lot of momentum last year, and there”s definitely more buzz than there was last year. Knowing we”re bringing so many people back and entering the second year under Buck gives us a ton of confidence.”
Last season, Rourke showcased his talent by earning the CFL”s outstanding player and top Canadian honors. He achieved career highs with 5,290 passing yards, 31 touchdown passes, 564 rushing yards, and 10 rushing touchdowns. Under his leadership, the Lions secured an 11-7 record, placing second in the West. They triumphed over the Calgary Stampeders in the West semifinal but faced a narrow defeat against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the division final, losing 33-30.
While the details of his contract were not disclosed, Neil McEvoy, B.C.”s vice-president of football operations, acknowledged Rourke”s value as a premier player in the league. “At the end of the day, he is a premier player in our league and a guy that demands compensation,” McEvoy said. “We live in a salary cap world, and we were able to make things work for both parties.”
Rourke hinted that he might have accepted a slightly lower salary to ensure the team has the financial flexibility to retain key players. “I always want to make sure we have the opportunity to re-sign guys and keep players that are going to make me better,” he noted. “Ultimately, I want to win championships. I think we would agree this deal is something that we”re all comfortable with and happy with moving forward.”
With this being his fifth season with the Lions, Rourke feels more settled in his role both on and off the field. “I”ve made some strides,” he remarked. “I think there”s room to improve, and that”s very exciting for me mentally. I saw myself mature throughout the year, and I saw this team mature as well.” One of his main goals for the upcoming season is to reduce the number of interceptions; he tied for the league high with 16 last year alongside Winnipeg”s Zach Collaros. “The number one priority is limiting the amount of interceptions,” Rourke stated. “The goal for next year is keeping that in single digits.”
Selected in the second round of the 2020 CFL draft, Rourke has played 50 regular-season games, completing 795 of 1,115 passes for 11,174 yards, achieving 63 touchdowns and 40 interceptions. Additionally, he has rushed for 1,192 yards and 27 touchdowns. Rourke holds a starting record of 23-13 over four seasons.
After spending two years with the Lions, Rourke pursued an NFL career in 2023, joining teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots before returning to B.C. in August 2024. Reflecting on his time in the NFL, Rourke expressed contentment with the Lions, suggesting he would not consider another NFL opportunity. “I”ve seen the grass isn”t necessarily greener over there,” he stated. “This organization has given me the best opportunity as a player to improve year after year.” With three more seasons ahead, Rourke believes he will continue to evolve as a player.
