Nathan Rourke
 Flowers with the Lions on August 23, 2025 | |||||||||||
| No. 12 – BC Lions | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | May 24, 1998 Victoria, British Columbia | ||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | |||||||||||
| College: |
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| CFL draft: | 2020 / Round: 2 / Pick: 15 | ||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2020 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career CFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
| Player stats at CFL.ca | |||||||||||
Nathan Rourke (born May 24, 1998) is a Canadian professional football quarterback. He plays for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (NFL). He has also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL).
Career
[change | change source]Rourke attended Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kansas before transferring to Ohio University to play for the Ohio Bobcats. He had a successful time with the Bobcats. He led the team to a winning record of 25–14 and helped them reach the 2017 Bahamas Bowl, 2018 Frisco Bowl, and the 2020 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (January) where they won each game.[1][2][3] For his success, Rourke was named the first ever Jon Cornish Trophy winner for being the top Canadian player in NCAA football and won the trophy again he next year.[4]
He was drafted 15th overall by the BC Lions in the 2020 CFL draft.[5] On May 19, 2021, Rourke signed a three-year contract with the Lions.[6] On August 6, 2021, Rourke made his CFL debut as a starting quarterback in a 33–29 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He replaced the injured Michael Reilly and backed him up when he returned.[7]
The next season, Rourke became the Lions main starting quarterback. On June 25, 2022, Rourke set a CFL record for most passing yards by a Canadian quarterback in a game after he recorded 436 in a 44–3 win against the Toronto Argonauts.[8] On August 6, 2022, Rourke broke his own record for passing yards by a Canadian by throwing for 477 yards and recording 5 touchdowns, as well as, completing 34 out of 37 pass attempts for the highest pass completion rate in a single CFL game with a minimum of 30 attempts.[9] Rourke continued to break CFL records when he ended the season with a completion percentage of 78.7% which set a record for the highest completion percentage in a single season in CFL history.[10]
On January 16, 2023, Rourke signed a three-year contract to join the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL).[11] On December 16, the Jaguars waived him.[12]
On December 18, 2023, the New England Patriots claimed him off waivers and then released him on May 6, 2024.[13][14]
On May 7, 2024, the New York Giants claimed Rourke off waivers and waived him on July 28.[15][16]
On August 1, Rourke signed a contract to join the Atlanta Falcons and was released on August 11.[17][18]
On August 13, 2024, Rourke signed a three-year contract to rejoin the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League (CFL).[19] On September 19, 2025, Rourke rushed for three touchdowns and completed passes for two other. He reached 3,935 yards and set the single-season passing record by a Canadian player in a 26–16 loss to the Calgary Stampeders.[20]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ "Bahamas Bowl: Ohio shows its potential in rout of UAB". The New York Times. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Ohio rolls to 27-0 win over San Diego State in Frisco Bowl". ESPN. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Ohio starts quickly, holds off Nevada in Potato Bowl". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "2018 Award winners". Jon Cornish Trophy. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Lions Make Early Splash; Select Seven In CFL Draft". BC Lions. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Lions sign QB Nathan Rourke to round out 2020 draft class". BC Lions. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Saskatchewan Roughriders kick off 2021 season with 33-29 victory over B.C. Lions". Regina Leader-Post. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Rourke leads Lions over Argos in historic night". Canadian Football League. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Nathan Rourke reaches new heights as B.C. Lions rout struggling Edmonton Elks 46–14". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Recapping Rourke's magical 2022 season with Lions". The Sports Network. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Record-setting CFL QB Rourke to sign with Jags". Jacksonville Jaguars. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Roster Moves: Jaguars Activate WR Jamal Agnew, Waive QB Nathan Rourke and Elevate TE Josh Pederson". Jacksonville Jaguars. Retrieved September 24, 2025.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "Patriots claim Canadian QB Nathan Rourke off waivers". Sportsnet. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Patriots release QB Nathan Rourke". New England Patriots. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Giants claim QB Nathan Rourke off waivers from Patriots". New York Giants. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "TE Theo Johnson passes physical, returns to practice; Giants sign CB Breon Borders". New York Giants. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Falcons sign QB who was Most Outstanding Canadian in 2022 and former UFL TE". Atlanta Falcons. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Falcons place OLB Bralen Trice on reserve/injured list, make a slew of transactions". Atlanta Falcons. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "2022 Most Outstanding Canadian Nathan Rourke returns to BC Lions". BC Lions. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
- ↑ "Nathan Rourke sets Canadian single-season passing record". Canadian Football League. Retrieved September 24, 2025.