Despite already being eliminated from playoff contention, the New England Patriots became a hot topic north of the border after they claimed Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday.
It remains unclear how much playing time the 25-year-old will get over the club’s three remaining games, though his path to a starting role is undoubtedly less daunting in Foxborough than it was in northeast Florida. Trevor Lawrence is firmly entrenched as Jacksonville’s franchise pivot, while the Patriots have floundered this year under struggling quarterbacks Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe.
For now, we’re taking a look at the history of Canadians and CFL players who have played under New England head coach Bill Belichick since he started with the team in 2000. The 71-year-old is reportedly unlikely to return to the team in 2024 after what will be his third season out of the playoffs since 2020.
Players are listed alphabetically by last name.
QB Michael Bishop
Before he became a household name in Canada as a strong-armed journeyman quarterback, Bishop spent two years with the Patriots after being selected in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. The Kansas State product dressed for eight games during his brief tenure in New England, completing three-of-nine pass attempts for 80 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. If it weren’t for the emergence of Tom Brady, it’s possible Bishop would have stuck around longer in Foxborough.
LB O. J. Brigance
The six-foot, 236-pound defender played five seasons with the B.C. Lions and Baltimore Stallions before a seven-year NFL career that culminated in a brief stint with the Patriots. He made one tackle in one game as a member of the team in 2002, which turned out to be the last of his career. The 54-year-old was diagnosed with ALS in 2007 but has continued to work in the front office with the Baltimore Ravens, currently serving as the team’s senior advisor to player engagement.
DB Brandon Browner
The Oregon State product became a Pro Bowl cornerback with the Seattle Seahawks in 2011 after a three-year all-star run with the Calgary Stampeders. He played one season with the Patriots in 2014 and made 25 tackles, seven pass knockdowns, and one interception over nine starts to help New England win the Super Bowl over his old team. The 39-year-old is currently serving an eight-year prison sentence for attempted murder.
TE Jake Burt
The Regina native signed with New England after going unselected in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Boston College and spent the year on their practice roster. He wasn’t retained that winter and signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats after he was taken with the first overall pick in the 2021 CFL Draft. He spent two seasons with the Tabbies and made four receptions for 40 yards but was released prior to the 2023 season and has since remained a free agent.
WR Austin Collie
The native of Hamilton, Ont. played one season with New England in 2013 following a four-year run with the Indianapolis Colts. He made six catches for 63 yards with the Patriots, dressing for only seven games due to a knee injury. He finished his career with a brief foray into the CFL with the B.C. Lions in 2015 during which he made 43 receptions for 439 yards and seven touchdowns.
DL Ja’Gared Davis
The two-time Grey Cup champion played two seasons with the Patriots prior to coming north of the border, dressing for four games in 2013 and 2014 and recording one tackle. The 33-year-old has since made 265 total tackles, 49 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, and three interceptions as a member of the Calgary Stampeders, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and Toronto Argonauts, appearing in six Grey Cups with two victories.
OL Drew Desjarlais
The Windsor product won two Grey Cups with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers prior to making the jump to the NFL with the Patriots in 2022. He was waived at the end of training camp in Foxborough and signed with the New Orleans Saints, spending almost the entire season on their practice roster. The native of Belle River, Ont. is now a member of the Ottawa Redblacks after signing a deal that made him the CFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman.
QB Danny Etling
The six-foot-three, 220-pound passer had a brief CFL stint with the B.C. Lions in 2021 as he spent three weeks on the practice roster prior to being released. Etling has had multiple NFL stints since then but started his professional career in New England as a seventh-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of LSU. The 29-year-old has yet to record a statistic in the NFL despite being a member of seven different teams over the past six years.
QB Doug Flutie
The six-time CFL Most Outstanding Player finished his 21-year career in professional football with the Patriots in 2005 as the backup to Tom Brady and Matt Cassel. He completed five-of-ten pass attempts that season for 29 yards and garnered national attention for completing a drop kick in a meaningless late-season game against the Miami Dolphins. It was the first successful drop kick in over 60 years and marked the final score of his remarkable career.
LB Nicholas Grigsby
The six-foot-two, 230-pound defender played 14 games with New England during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, recording five total tackles and one tackle for loss. The native of Trotwood, Ohio played with five different teams over a four-year run in the NFL before signing with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2021 at the age of 28. Grigsby was released before training camp got underway and has been out of football since.
WR N’Keal Harry
Most of the criticism Belichick has faced in recent years is related to his poor draft record with Harry being a prime example of his struggles. The Toronto native was taken with a late first-round pick in 2019 but was never very productive for the Patriots, making 57 receptions for 598 yards and four touchdowns over three seasons with the team prior to being traded. He has since made seven catches over two seasons with the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings.
WR Andrew Hawkins
The diminutive speedster won two Grey Cups with the Montreal Alouettes prior to a seven-year run in the NFL spent primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. Hawkins signed with New England in 2017 but retired before training camp got underway to pursue other business interests. He holds a master’s degree from Columbia, works as an analyst on television, and has a large following on social media.
DL Akiem Hicks
The veteran technically shouldn’t be on this list as he’s neither Canadian nor a former CFL player, however, we’ll make an exception since he played collegiately at the University of Regina. The six-foot-five, 330-pound defender was traded to New England in 2015 and made 21 total tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, one fumble recovery, and one touchdown over 13 games. Hicks was later named to the Pro Bowl as a member of the Chicago Bears and earned $69.6 million USD over 11 NFL seasons.
WR Dontrelle Inman
The Virginia product won a Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts in 2012 before a seven-year NFL career spent mostly with the Los Angeles Chargers. The six-foot-three, 205-pound target signed with the Patriots in 2019 but requested his released during training camp after the team signed Josh Gordon. Inman was granted his release and signed back with the Chargers, dressing for four games with the team that season.
P Jake Julien
The native of Barrie, Ont. signed with New England as an undrafted free agent in 2022 following a standout collegiate career at Eastern Michigan University. Julien was released during training camp and sat out the rest of the season before coming north, signing with the Ottawa Redblacks. He now plays for the Edmonton Elks and punted 121 times for a net average of 33.5 yards over 18 regular season games in 2023.
OL Nick Kaczur
The six-foot-four, 315-pound blocker was a third-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft out of the University of Toledo. Kaczur played 68 games over six seasons with the team and made 62 starts at left and right tackle. The native of Brantford, Ont. helped the Patriots go 16-0 in 2007 and reach Super Bowl XLII, though the club was upset in the big game by Eli Manning and the New York Giants.
DL Marc Megna
The Richmond product was a sixth-round pick of the New York Jets in the 1999 NFL Draft but joined New England following his release. He made two tackles over four games with the Patriots before eventually signing with the Montreal Alouettes in 2002. Megna played four seasons in La Belle Province, winning one Grey Cup and earning one East Division all-star nod in the CFL.
DB Rodney Randle Jr.
The 26-year-old signed with the Patriots in 2023 after splitting two seasons between the Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He was released as part of New England’s final roster cuts in training camp and has remained a free agent ever since. The native of Beaumont, Texas has recorded 69 total tackles and four interceptions over 23 career CFL games.
QB Nathan Rourke
The 25-year-old became a member of the Patriots on Monday when he was claimed off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars. He will be on New England’s active roster for the rest of the season due to the NFL’s waiver rules and will presumably compete with Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones for playing time. The native of Victoria, B.C. threw for 3,349 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with B.C. Lions in 2022 and was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian.
LB Alex Singleton
The dual-citizen went unselected in the 2015 NFL Draft and split his rookie season between the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, and Minnesota Vikings. Singleton came up to the CFL the following year and became a household name over three seasons with the Calgary Stampeders before returning to the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is now a starter for the Denver Broncos after signing a three-year, $18 million contract this past off-season.
OL Sidy Sow
The six-foot-five, 323-pound blocker was selected by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Eastern Michigan University. The native of Bromont, Que. made the 53-man roster coming out of training camp and has spent most of his rookie season at right guard, dressing for 12 games with 10 starts. Sow has played 82 percent of New England’s offensive snaps this season as well as 10 percent of their plays on special teams.
WR Kenbrell Thompkins
The native of Miami, Fla. signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and played 14 games over two seasons with the team, recording 38 catches for 519 yards and four touchdowns. He eventually found his way to the CFL as a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2018 and made 29 receptions for 421 yards and one touchdown, though he was released the following year after failing to report to the team. In 2022, he was sentenced to 25 months in prison for access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
WR Brian Tyms
The six-foot-three, 207-pound target joined the Patriots in 2014 and dressed for 11 games with the club, making five catches for 82 yards and one touchdown. He came north in 2016 and finished his three-year CFL career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts with 36 receptions for 292 yards and one touchdown. Tyms didn’t have a terribly productive professional career, though he won a Super Bowl with New England in 2014 and a Grey Cup with the Argonauts in 2017.
WR Tiquan Underwood
The Rutgers product was selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars and signed with the Patriots in 2011. He made three catches for 30 yards that season while being repeatedly moved on and off the roster. Underwood played three seasons in the CFL with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes, catching 87 passes for 1,320 yards and six touchdowns before embarking on a successful coaching career in the NCAA.
DL Nick Usher
The 28-year-old was in training camp with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2017 but was released as part of the club’s final cuts. He has since played five CFL seasons as a member of the Edmonton Elks, Montreal Alouettes, and B.C. Lions and recorded 116 total tackles, 16 sacks, and six forced fumbles. Usher is currently a pending free agent.
