Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ head coach Orlondo Steinauer has ruled out franchise quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell for Friday’s home-opener against the Montreal Alouettes, TSN’s Matthew Scianitti has reported.
Mitchell left during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Toronto Argonauts at BMO Field with what the team called a “lower-body injury.” He completed 16-of-24 pass attempts for 161 yards and two interceptions during the outing and was replaced by Matthew Shiltz, who will start against the Alouettes.
Shiltz started three games for the Ticats in 2022, posting a 2-1 record. He threw for 935 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions and ran the ball 28 times for 152 yards and one touchdown over the course of the season, his first in Hamilton.
Mitchell was one of many high-profile additions for the Ticats this past off-season following a decade-long run with the Calgary Stampeders during which he won two Grey Cups and two Most Outstanding Player awards. He has struggled out of the gate in Steeltown, throwing for 349 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions over two starts.
Editor’s note: Scianitti has updated his report to indicate that Mitchell will dress in a backup role on Friday, though he will still not play.
The Ticats (0-2) will host the Alouettes (1-0) on Friday, June 23 with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT. Montreal eliminated Hamilton from postseason contention last year, defeating them 28-17 in the East Semi-Final.
