TORONTO — Nathan Rourke knows it takes a lot of work to do what he and the BC Lions did in only his second year in the league. Now he gets to grind as a rookie all over again as he starts his NFL journey with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 2022 Most Outstanding Canadian didn’t take long to win over the hearts of everyone in British Columbia by leading the team to the Western Final in his first year as a starter with the Lions.
His 2023 situation is a little bit different after joining a Jaguars team that has veteran Trevor Lawrence entrenched as QB1, but Rourke is still looking to make the most of his second opportunity be a first-year player.
“It’s certainly going to be a challenge,” said the pivot on a chat with Donovan Bennett and Henoc Muamba for this week’s The Waggle Podcast. “It has not been easy, it has been hard to go from being a starter to – like you said – being a rookie again.
“There is going to be a lot of patience involved, a lot of learning. Things aren’t going to be handed to you. Everything that I want is going to have to be earned.”
RELATED
» Hatcher, Adams Jr. shine as BC stays undefeated at home
» Lions rebound with dominant home win over Stamps
» Lions add American DL Nick Usher to practice roster
» Sign up and watch CFL games on CFL+ in the U.S. and Internationally
Rourke worked hard for everything he conquered with the Lions, completing 78.7 per cent of his 324 passing attempts while throwing for 3,349 yards and 25 touchdowns over just 10 games last season.
The pivot led his team to an 8-1 start before a foot injury kept him away until the last game of the regular season, and also broke the all-time single game passing yards record by a Canadian quarterback with 436. That record stood until the young pivot himself did it again two more times, with 477 and 488 in back-to-back Weeks 9 and 10.
The Lions have continued their run of success after the departure of the then-rookie quarterback and are a similar 7-2 after nine games in 2023 behind veteran quarterback Vernon Adams Jr.
Rourke is aware that the organization – under the leadership of owner Amar Doman – has built a structure that sets them up to success.
“That’s one of the things that made it hard to leave. Because I knew there was a good thing going,” said Rourke.
“The Lions have always done a really good job getting the players out into the community and it’s paying off. The environment is electric, there’s a buzz around the team and obviously they are doing a really good job on the field taking care of business. Those things just go hand in hand and it starts at the top.”
A roar was heard all the way from Jacksonville to Vancouver last Saturday. As the BC Lions celebrated their 37 points against the Calgary Stampeders at BC Place, another six points happening thousands of miles away were also a cause for celebration.
The reason for the cross-continent jubilee was Rourke, who had his debut with the Jaguars in preseason and scored a touchdown after an escape-artist effort to avoid a sack.
“That was sick. He stayed up there strong and he threw it like he was just sitting in the pocket,” said Adams Jr. after the game when asked about Rourke’s play. “I am so happy for Nate. It was awesome to see on the big screen.”
Adams Jr. himself had several highlight-reel plays in the win against the Stampeders after throwing for 322 yards and four touchdowns in return from injury.
The success the Leos have been enjoying this season doesn’t come out of the blue to their former quarterback.
“I haven’t been surprised they have done the way that they have so far. When you have some injuries and you have people having to step up and fill new roles I think that’s a sign of a mature team, a team that is able to take the punches and keep rolling and they have done that. It’s been exciting to see Vernon (Adams Jr.) step into that new role and the depth that they have at the quarterback position has been great to see as well.”
Rourke finished 9-of-17 for 153 yards and two TDs in his preseason debut (courtesy Jacksonville Jaguars)
The Lions finished 12-6 last season and went on to beat the Calgary Stampeders 30-16 in the Western Semi-Final before losing to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 28-20 in the Western Final.
If it’s up to Rourke, the Lions will take care of that unfinished business.
“I felt like I came up short last year,” said the young quarterback. “I was really playing for the guys at that point. I still want them to win, whether it’s with me or without me I just really want to see them win. I know it better than everyone that they deserve it in the way that they work.”
The feeling of high expectations is mutual between Rourke and the Lions. Wide receiver Keon Hatcher had a front seat to the young signal-callers’ ascent last year and knows fully well what he’s capable of.
“I’ve seen how special he was so it really doesn’t surprise me,” said wide receiver Keon Hatcher after the game about Rourke’s first touchdown. “He is a great person, a great leader and I don’t expect nothing less from him. He does what he does.”
BC is going to continue their journey towards the ultimate goal as they travel to Regina to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday, Aug. 20, in Week 11.
