KAMLOOPS — There’s no question heading into the CFL season who’ll be the B.C. Lions starting quarterback.
Nathan Rourke is back.
“He’s got that confidence, he’s got that offence,” said wide receiver Keon Hatcher. “It’s his team. Everyone’s rallied around him.”
That buy-in is essential for Rourke and the Lions as they prepare for the 2025 campaign.
The 27-year-old Canadian QB wasn’t on the roster to start last season as he worked to find a permanent home in the NFL.
Instead, the Lions tapped Vernon Adams Jr., who got the team off to a solid 5-3 record before going down with a knee injury at the beginning of August.
Weeks later, Rourke re-signed with B.C., returning to the team where he earned the title of the league’s most outstanding Canadian in 2022 following a standout campaign.
The homegrown quarterback struggled back in the CFL, going 3-5 while throwing four touchdowns and nine interceptions.
B.C. finished the regular season with a 9-9 record and was ousted from the West semifinal by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
After the season wrapped, the club dealt Adams to the Calgary Stampeders.
The Lions are all-in on Rourke this season — and head coach Buck Pierce believes he’s ready.
“He’s played quarterback. He understands his job, he understands his role, he understands what he needs to do,” Pierce said.
“It’s not all about him, though, either. It’s everybody pulling in the same direction. So, I think it’s nice that way, because he’s obviously excited to be here from day one and have a full training camp. And that’s how every player wants it, right? It’s no different than any other year.”
Several of Rourke’s teammates have expressed confidence in his ability to return to the form he showed in 2022, especially now that the quarterback has had a full training camp with his teammates in Kamloops, B.C.
After all, he wears No. 12 — the same number as Tom Brady and several other legends.
“A lot of quarterbacks that wear that number, they’re high up on the quarterback list. So that’s Nathan Rourke — great leader, great man, great friend,” Hatcher said. “He comes to work every day with his hard hat on.
“And I’m so excited to see what he gets to do this year, stepping back into that role, being fully confident in what he’s doing out here. And I don’t expect nothing less from 2022 to this season when he’s had a full year out there.”
For Rourke, one difference in preparing for the coming campaign has been the luxury of time.
Instead of rushing to get up to speed like last year, he’s been able to learn things in “bite-sized chunks.” He was also able to spend the off-season connecting with his teammates, as many stayed in Metro Vancouver to train.
“I think what I’ve tried to do this off-season is create that comfortable feeling by getting to know the guys off the field, making sure we’re deepening those relationships,” Rourke said.
Training with the Lions’ No. 1 was a learning experience for Kieran Poissant.
Through countless sessions together, the 24-year-old Canadian receiver developed a thorough understanding of the playbook, figuring out exactly how many steps he needs to take on a given play and the best placement for his hands.
There were less tangible lessons, too.
“(Rourke’s) one of the best pros in the country,” said Poissant, who played his first CFL games last year. “And as a young guy, when you get an opportunity to work with one of the best pros and just learn how to be a pro, reps aside, it’s an amazing opportunity,”
Working alongside Rourke this season is veteran QB Jeremiah Masoli, who B.C. signed to a one-year deal in free agency.
The 36-year-old American is heading into his 12th CFL season, and Rourke believes he has a lot to share.
“He’s been great. He’s got a lot of experience being a very good player in this league. It’s been a privilege to work with him. He’s great in the locker room,” Rourke said. “I continue to rely on his expertise and his experience and his knowledge and continue to grow from him. So I’m excited that he’s here.”
The admiration goes both ways.
“I’ve been very impressed with Nate,” Masoli said. “His work ethic speaks for itself, but just him as a person, the kind of leader that he is. When he walks out here, man, you can feel it. You can feel his presence.
“And I’m super excited to see how he does this season, especially on this offence. I think it’s kind of tailored to fit his game, and he can really take advantage of it.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
