It was a tough season for the BC Lions.
The team started the year with so much hope, winning five of their first six games. They looked like a budding powerhouse. However, they went 4-8 down the stretch and lost 28-19 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Western Semi-Final. They will have to watch another team win the Grey Cup at BC Place this month.
Now that it’s over, it’s easy to say this Lions season will be remembered for the quarterback drama that played out.
The team started the year with Vernon Adams Jr. under centre, and he performed like an MVP candidate. He started the first eight games, helping the team to a 5-3 record.
They then brought back 2022 Most Outstanding Canadian Nathan Rourke from the NFL to the roster midseason, and he took over the starting job after Adams went down with an injury.
The Lions made Rourke the highest-paid player in the CFL, but the results didn’t match the price tag. He struggled mightily in his season debut and never found his game.
The team continued to stumble down the stretch, but the Lions kept Rourke as their starting QB. They didn’t give Adams his starting job back after he recovered from injury, even after the losses continued to pile up with Rourke leading the way.
“That really crushed me,” Adams told reporters today. “When I came back and they told me they didn’t know if I was getting my spot back or anything, that just totally crushed me, I’m not going to lie.”
“But again, I wasn’t going to be whining or complaining about it. I just had to come to work every day with a smile on my face and help however I could.”
Finally, the quarterback switch was made for the last regular season game and the playoffs.
“In a lot of ways, I’m glad that [Adams] got the chance to finish the season because, in many ways, it was his team,” said Rourke. “I wish that he would’ve ended the season better because he deserved that.”
“He’s been such a good leader for this team and been through a lot through the coaching decisions and all that kind of stuff that the two of us have been through.”
Adams was good but not great in that postseason loss, finishing with 317 passing yards and two touchdowns but also throwing three interceptions.
“It was the hardest loss for me a couple days ago just because I felt like I let everyone down,” Adams said.
“I let my teammates down, my coaches, the ones that believed in me, it was hard.”
Heading into next season, they will need to pick one quarterback to rally around. Most expect the Lions to trade Adams and keep Rourke this offseason, although co-GM Neil McEvoy wasn’t showing his cards today.
“We’re not there yet. There are still teams playing. There are still teams that need a quarterback,” said McEvoy. “Both those quarterbacks will be able to be moved. We just need to make a decision on which one.”
While McEvoy wasn’t revealing anything, Rourke’s answers to the media today were telling.
“I’m excited about the fact that for the first time in a while, I know where I’m going to be next year,” said Rourke. “There are a lot of comfortable things about this place and a lot of things that I really enjoy.”
“I’m glad that I don’t have to make those types of decisions, but I know I will be [with the BC Lions next year.]”