Just when you thought the season was over for the BC Lions despite not playing in this years Grey Cup while they allow Saskatchewan to be their representative they are focused on building for the 2026 season.
Regardless of the rule changes implemented to take place over the next two seasons I was recently told “there is no way the league will be any part of the NFL” which doesn’t surprise me.
It’s Canada’s game and that’s the way we want it to stay and of course it depends on who you ask.
The following is the most recent update press release from Matt Baker Sr. Manager of Communications with the BC Lions.
Enjoy the read:
For the second time in three seasons, Mathieu Betts reigns supreme amongst CFL defenders. On Thursday evening, Betts was named the winner of the CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award.
An All-CFL and West-All CFL selection in 2025, Betts led the league with 15 sacks and became the first player in over thirty years to register nine sacks across a three-game span.
His four forced fumbles were good for a share of the CFL lead with Montreal’s Tyrice Beverette and Toronto’s Isaac Darkangelo.
Betts recorded 42 defensive tackles this season, two short of his career-high set in the 2023 campaign when he first won the award.
Betts now sits sixth on the Lions’ all-time list with 42 sacks, 4.5 behind Nick Hebeler for fifth spot.
BC Lions Most Outstanding Defensive Player History
2023, 2025- DL Mathieu Betts
2014, 2016- LB Solomon Elimimian
2015- LB Adam Bighill
2007, 2008- DL Cameron Wake
2006- DL Brent Johnson
1987- DL Gregg Stumon
1984, 1986- DL James “Quick” Parker
1976- DL Bill Baker
The BC Lions announced today the re-signings of five players: Global kicker Ross Bolger, National offensive lineman Alex Berwick, National long snapper Cam Foran, National offensive lineman Connor Klassen and National linebacker Chase Tataryn.
Bolger (5’11, 207 lbs)- selected 4th overall in last spring’s Global Draft, the native of Laois, Ireland spent all of this past season on the practice squad. The former Gaelic Football player moved to North America in 2023 to play at Idaho State for 33 games across two seasons.
As a senior, Bolger finished 13th in the nation in net punting and was named Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week three times. He earned an invitation to the NFL International Pathway program early in 2025.
Berwick (6’2, 306 lbs)- the Lions took Alex in round seven (59th overall) of the 2025 CFL Draft. After emerging from training camp with a spot on the practice roster, the Ottawa native dressed in six regular season games as a reserve offensive lineman.
Alex played his entire University career at Western, suiting up in 41 games from 2021-24. Along with helping the Mustangs win a Vanier Cup and Mitchell Bowl in 2021, he earned OUA First-Team All-Star and U Sports Second-Team All-Canadian in his final year.
Foran (6’0, 212 lbs)- the native of Port Williams, Nova Scotia originally signed with the Lions ahead of 2025 training camp and made his CFL debut on September 27 in a special teams role.
Cam suited up at Acadia from 2021-24, recording 7.5 tackles. He took over as the team’s full-time long snapper in 2023.
Klassen (6’4, 310 lbs)- after the Lions took the Big River, Saskatchewan product in round four (37th overall) of last year’s CFL Draft, Klassen was released by the team after suffering an injury in training camp.
Following three junior seasons with the Regina Thunder (2019, 2021-22) that saw two Prairie Conference All-Star selections, Klassen moved to U Sports and the Regina Rams from 2023-24 and served as the squad’s starting right tackle for 19 games.
Tataryn (5’11, 212 lbs)- A native of Saskatoon, Tataryn was taken in round six (50th overall) of last year’s CFL Draft after suiting up in 28 games with the Alberta Golden Bears from 2021 to 2024, registering 139 total tackles (91 solo, 48 assisted), 11 tackles for a loss, six sacks, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Following 2025 training camp in Kamloops, he was released to pursue his final year of U Sports eligibility. In eight games with the Golden Bears this season, Tataryn had 55 total tackles (39 solo, 16 assisted), a pair of pass breakups, one sack, one interception and a fumble recovery in eight contests.
Nathan Rourke had a record-setting 2025 season winning both the George Reed Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian at the CFL Awards Banquet in Winnipeg.
He called Victoria home and finished his most impressive professional season, wrapping up the season for 5,290 yards managing to shatter Russ Jackson’s single-season Canadian record that had stood since 1969.
Rourke completed 352 of 500 pass attempts (70.4 completion percentage) along with 31 TD’s in this season finishing with 564 rushing yards being eighth overall in the CFL adding ten TD’s on 61 carries.
Rourke’s 70-yard touchdown run against Edmonton on October 17 was the longest scramble of his career and the longest ever rushing major by a Lions quarterback.
An All-CFL and West All-CFL selection,
He was named Offensive Player of the Month for September after going 79/106 for 1,158 yards and five touchdowns and 139 yards and seven majors on 24 carries across four games.
He leapfrogged Buck Pierce, Casey Printers, Vernon Adams Jr. and Doug Flutie up to eighth spot on the Lions’ all-time passing list.
He enters 2026 with 11,174 yards, just 334 shy of Joe Paopao for seventh.
BC Lions George Reed Most Outstanding Player History
2025- QB Nathan Rourke
2014- LB Solomon Elimimian
2011- QB Travis Lulay
2006- REC. Geroy Simon
2004- QB Casey Printers
1991- QB Doug Flutie
1988- REC. David Williams
1985- REC. Mervyn Fernandez
BC Lions Most Outstanding Canadian History
2022, 2025- QB Nathan Rourke
2021- LB Bo Lokombo
2009- DL Ricky Foley
2005, 2006- DL Brent Johnson
2004- REC. Jason Clermont
1997, 2000- RB Sean Millington
1970, 1972- REC. Jim Young
