Most Outstanding Player Nathan Rourke Staying Home Through 2028 Season
CFL B.C. Lions

Most Outstanding Player Nathan Rourke Staying Home Through 2028 Season

Published on January 27, 2026 under Canadian Football League (CFL)
B.C. Lions News Release


(Vancouver) - The BC Lions announced on Tuesday that National quarterback Nathan Rourke has signed a multi-year contract extension, keeping him with the club through 2028. Rourke is entering the final year of his current deal, signed in August 2024.

"I'm honoured to continue my lifelong dream as a professional football player with the BC Lions. I'm fortunate to be part of an organization that believes in me and trusts me to lead both on and off the field," said Rourke.

"Thank you to Mr. Doman, Duane Vienneau, Ryan Rigmaiden, Neil McEvoy and my agent, Greg Bookey, for all the work that went into this extension. This organization has redefined family for me and I'm excited to keep chasing the goal of bringing a Grey Cup back to the West Coast. Emily and I are proud to call British Columbia home. Go Lions!"

2025 was Rourke's best pro season to date, as he passed for 5,290 yards to shatter Russ Jackson's single-season Canadian record that stood since 1969. Rourke also completed 352 of 500 passes (70.4 per cent) and had 31 touchdown strikes to go along with 564 rushing yards, tops among CFL quarterbacks, and ten touchdowns on 61 carries.

The gunslinger also continues to ascend the franchise record books after leapfrogging Buck Pierce, Vernon Adams Jr., Casey Printers and Doug Flutie into eighth on the Lions' all-time passing list.

An All-CFL and West Division All-CFL selection, Rourke was named Offensive Player of the Month for September by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and capped off his stellar season by winning George Reed Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian at the CFL Awards.

"Nathan has developed into the best player in the league and the face of the CFL," added general manager Ryan Rigmaiden.

"We wanted to be proactive by getting this done, not only for the club, but for our fanbase. Extending him through 2028 puts us in the best possible position to win, and sends the right message to his teammates, the league and BC Lions fans everywhere. As Nathan continues to get more comfortable in coach Buck's offence, we expect to be even more competitive in the future."

Selected by the Lions in round two (15th overall) of the 2020 CFL Draft, Rourke debuted with the Lions upon the league's return to play the next year.

He enters his fifth Lions campaign with a record of 23-13 as a starter in the regular season. Upon taking over full-time starter duties in 2022, Rourke established a pro football record 78.7 completion percentage (255/324) and threw for 3,349 yards and 25 touchdowns in only ten appearances.

After breaking Gerry Dattilio's single-game Canadian passing record with 436 yards in a week three win over Toronto, Rourke broke it again over back-to-back weeks with performances of 477 and 488 yards, respectively. He capped it off by winning his first CFL Most Outstanding Canadian Award.

Rourke then signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in January 2023 and spent most of that year on the team's practice squad before being claimed by the New England Patriots and dressing in their final regular season game. He split 2024 training camp between the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons before returning home to the Lions in August of that year.

In 39 games over three seasons with the Ohio Bobcats, he compiled 7,475 passing yards, 70 passing touchdowns and ran for 2,639 yards and 49 more majors across 39 games. Rourke led Ohio to three consecutive bowl wins and capped off his Bobcat career with MVP honours in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in January 2020.

Rourke also won the Jon Cornish Trophy, awarded annually to the best Canadian NCAA Player, in 2017 and 2018.

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