Nathan Rourke reuniting with Lions

Nathan Rourke is reuniting with the BC Lions.

The Lions announced the Canadian quarterback's stunning return to the CFL on Tuesday. He'll join the team's facility Wednesday.

Rourke played for BC from 2021-22 and was named the 2022 CFL Most Outstanding Canadian before going to the NFL. He's now signed through 2026 and will be the CFL's highest-paid player in 2025 and 2026, according to Farhan Lalji of TSN.

Rourke put on a show during his only season as the Lions' starter in 2022, passing for 3,349 yards and 25 touchdowns in just 10 appearances. He finished the campaign with a 123.6 passer rating, the second-highest in CFL history. The 26-year-old - who also rushed for 304 yards and seven TDs - set a Canadian single-game record of 488 passing yards that year.

In the NFL, Rourke spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots in 2023. He turned heads during his preseason appearances with the Jaguars and was active for three regular-season games while spending most of the 2023 season on the team's practice squad. Jacksonville cut him in December.

Rourke spent approximately two months with the New York Giants this past offseason before joining the Atlanta Falcons in August. He played the entire fourth quarter of Atlanta's preseason loss to the Miami Dolphins last week but was released Monday.

The Lions signed Vernon Adams Jr. to an extension in February, but the starting quarterback is currently dealing with a knee injury and missed last week's game. Jake Dolegala started in his place.

BC has posted a 5-4 record this season but has lost three straight. The Lions host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers next, and there's a "real" chance that Rourke will start Sunday, according to Lalji.

Adams' future in BC became a hot topic after the Lions announced Rourke on Tuesday. However, Adams is expected to remain with the franchise this year.

"Vernon will not be traded," Lions head coach Rick Campbell said Tuesday, according to TSN.