At the 2025 CFL Awards on Thursday night, B.C. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke took home the Most Outstanding Canadian award and the George Reed Most Outstanding Player award. It was the second time Rourke won the Most Outstanding Canadian award, joining Russ Jackson as the only players to win the award twice.
Nathan Rourke is six foot one and weighs 210 pounds. The 27-year-old from Victoria, British Columbia, re-signed with the B.C. Lions on January 31, 2025. In 2025, Rourke completed 352 of 500 passes (70.4%) for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 61 carries for 564 yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, and one tackle (1 solo) in 18 games. Rourke led the Lions to the Western Final against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The B.C. Lions drafted Rourke in the second round (15th pick) in the 2020 CFL Draft. Rourke played two seasons, completing 307 of 406 passes (75.6%) for 4,103 yards, 28 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, 57 carries for 415 yards, and 12 touchdowns in 23 games.
In the 2022 season, Rourke completed 255 of 324 passes (78.7%) for 3,349 yards, 25 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 39 carries for 304 yards, and seven touchdowns in ten games. He led the Lions to defeat the Calgary Stampeders in the Western Semi-Final before the Lions lost in the Western Final to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Rourke was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian in 2022.
Rourke was released by the B.C. Lions on January 17, 2023. He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars on January 16, 2023. Rourke completed 23 of 35 passes (65.7%) for 348 yards, one touchdown, and 14 carries for 39 yards in three preseason games for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Rourke took the NFL by storm in a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys when he avoided getting sacked before throwing a touchdown.
After the preseason, the Jaguars placed him on the practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster twice but did not see any action before the New England Patriots claimed him off waivers on December 18, 2023, where he was a third-string backup behind Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones. The Patriots released Rourke on May 6, 2024. Rourke was claimed off waivers by the New York Giants on May 8, 2024. The Giants released him on July 28, 2024.
The Atlanta Falcons signed Rourke on August 1, 2024. Rourke played one preseason game against the Miami Dolphins, completing 3 of 13 passes (23.1%) for 37 yards, and two carries for 24 yards. The Falcons released Rourke on August 11, 2024.
The B.C. Lions re-signed Rourke on August 13, 2024. In 2024, he completed 136 of 209 passes (65.1%) for 1,781 yards, four touchdowns, nine interceptions, 24 carries for 213 yards, and five touchdowns in nine games.
Collegiately, Rourke played one season at Fort Scott Community College in 2016, completing 221 of 378 (58.5%) passes for 2,367 yards, 18 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 118 carries for 27 yards, and three touchdowns in 11 games.
Then, Rourke transferred to Ohio for three seasons (2017-19), completing 525 of 894 (58.7%) passes for 7,457 yards, 60 touchdowns, 20 interceptions, 425 carries for 2,639 yards, and 49 touchdowns in 39 games. He is a two-time All-MAC Second-Team (2017-18).
