Quarterback Nathan Rourke will return to the B.C. Lions lineup and start in Saturday’s CFL game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at B.C. Place Stadium.
The league’s Most Outstanding Player in 2025 sustained a shoulder injury in his non-throwing arm when he was sacked on the opening drive in a July 17 game in Edmonton against the Elks.
Rourke missed the rest of that 19-17 loss and the next two games for the Lions (2-5), but he returned to full practice this week.
The 28-year-old, who was born in Victoria and grew up in Oakville, Ont., was listed as a starter Friday for the game against the Tiger-Cats (3-5).
B.C. went 1-2 after Rourke’s exit, but beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 35-19 last week.
Rookie starter Kaidon Salter completed seven of 15 pass attempts for 96 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 160 yards — a franchise record for a quarterback and the fifth-highest all-time in the CFL — in the win over Winnipeg.
The 23-year-old Salter and running back Zander Horvath combined for 351 yards on the ground as the Lions set a club record of 377 rushing yards in a single game.
Rourke has completed 71.3 per cent of his throws (107-for-150) for 1,403 yards and five touchdowns. He’s been intercepted four times in his five games this season.
“My intention is not to come back in a state where I’m not helping the team,” Rourke told reporters in Vancouver earlier this week. “We proved last week that we don’t need me to win.
“I want to make sure that I’m as close to my best as possible before taking [out] someone who is healthy, taking their spot.”
Rourke isn’t the only key cog back in B.C.’s lineup as running back James Butler returns after sitting out the win over Winnipeg with a foot injury.
Butler has 296 yards on 62 carries and four touchdowns, with another 121 receiving yards.
The Lions’ defence has tightened in allowing four touchdowns in the last three games compared to 16 in the team’s first four this season.
Hamilton will start Harrison Frost, who replaced Canadian Tre Ford in last week’s 44-20 loss to Calgary.
The 27-year-old Frost completed nine of 20 passes for 165 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and also lost a fumble.
Veteran quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell remains out after surgery for an ankle injury sustained in Hamilton’s 14-13 loss to Winnipeg on July 5. Hamilton has gone 1-3 in the 36-year-old’s absence.
“I was here the last two years, and Bo took 99 per cent of the snaps,” Frost said Thursday in Hamilton.
“The window doesn’t come often, the chance to play doesn’t come often at any level. I’m going to do the best I can to try and take advantage of the opportunity.”
The Tiger-Cats will try to sweep the season series after a 41-27 win at home June 19.
Originally published by The Globe and Mail - Sports.