Star quarterback Nathan Rourke returns to B.C. Lions after NFL stint

Nathan Rourke is back in Vancouver with a multi-year contract and figures to be a major part of the B.C. Lions' plans for the foreseeable future.

For now, those plans also include Vernon Adams Jr., the quarterback who until recently had thrived in Rourke's absence.

The Lions announced Tuesday that Rourke, whose dynamic 2022 CFL campaign netted him the league's top Canadian honours, signed a three-year contract with the team after a two-season stint in the NFL.

But Lions head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell said that Adams will remain a big part of the team.

Whether or not that creates a quarterback controversy down the line is a bridge the Lions will cross later. For now, Campbell said having two star quarterbacks is "a nice problem to have."

"For this to happen with Nathan, part of that the package for me was that Vernon stays," Campbell told reporters Tuesday.

"No. 1, he's an excellent quarterback. Two, he's a huge, valuable leader on this team and so we wanted to make it work where they both can be here."

Campbell said the situation with Rourke came together quickly, and he said he called Adams with news of the signing before any of his coaches.

"There's some mixed emotions in there, but no question that it's it's an exciting day for the B.C. Lions and to have two quarterbacks of that calibre is pretty remarkable," Campbell said.

Rourke is expected to take starters snaps in practice on Wednesday, when he will meet with reporters to discuss his return. If all goes well he will start Sunday when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visit the Lions at B.C. Place.

"Knowing Nathan Rourke, I think he'll be playing Sunday, so we want to make sure that he's properly ready to go with the playbook and all those things. But if those boxes are checked then he'll be the guy on Sunday."

Rourke's return comes at a critical time for the Lions (5-4), who have lost three straight games and are missing Adams week-to-week with a right knee injury. The team is keen to right the ship quickly with the 2024 Grey Cup set for B.C. Place on Nov. 17.

Adams has been ruled out of Sunday's game, but Campbell said he is close to returning.

Rourke and Adams have a history together, with the latter filling in admirably for Rourke when he sustained a foot fracture in Week 11 of the 2022 season.

The 26-year-old Rourke, from Victoria, completed 78.7 per cent of his passes for 3,349 yards and 25 touchdowns over 10 regular-season contests in his first campaign as a full-time starter before sustaining the injury that kept him out of action until the playoffs. He also ran for 304 yards and seven TDs.

After his breakout season, Rourke decided to test his luck south of the border, but despite getting a look from some NFL teams he never appeared in a regular-season game.

He initially signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but was waived in December 2022 and claimed by the New England Patriots, where he dressed as a backup for one game.

The Patriots brought Rourke back this year, signing him to a one-year deal in March. But they released him in May, and Rourke decided to return home after short stints with the New York Giants and Falcons.

The Lions continued to perform well with Adams under centre after Rourke's departure. He led B.C. to a 12-6 record in 2023, and put up big numbers to start this campaign as the Lions sprinted out to a 5-1 record. He led the league in passing through seven games of the season with 2,395 yards.

But the Lions have lost three straight, and Adams sustained a right knee injury in a 25-0 loss to Winnipeg on Aug. 1.

Jake Dolegala was the Lions' quarterback in a 33-16 loss at Edmonton on Sunday. It was the Elks' first home win since Sept. 9, 2023.

"We've got to play better than we have the last three weeks. And I think our players know that our coaches know that," Campbell said.

"If we want to be a team that does well down the stretch, regardless of who our quarterback is we've got to play better, and we're working on that." 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2024.