BC Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke has announced that he will be signing with NFL side, Jacksonville Jaguars.
“Ultimately my decision came down to my commitment to the pursuit of the dream I first had as a youngster watching Brett Favre win Super Bowls on NFL Films,” Rourke wrote in a statement on his social media.
“I am excited to announce that the realization of that dream starts today. After much prayer and deliberation, I will be signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars. I am looking forward to getting to work with my new teammates and coaches.”
After a sensational 2022 campaign, Rourke was named the season’s Most Outstanding Canadian, becoming the first quarterback in franchise history to earn the achievement.
Rourke finished the year completing 78.7 per cent of his 324 passing attempts and threw for 3,349 yards and 25 touchdowns while playing in just 10 games.
Rourke still has one year left on his deal with the Lions. However, the second-year pivot became eligible to sign a futures deal per the CFL’s NFL window.
Following his prolific season, he completed workouts with 12 NFL clubs: the New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, and the Cleveland Browns.
Rourke becomes the first CFL quarterback to sign with an NFL franchise since Grey-Cup-winning QB Chris Streveler signed with the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 after his 107th Grey Cup win with the Blue Bombers.
