Bo Levi Mitchell is a non-participant on the opening day of rookie camp with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and was spotted wearing a walking boot on his right leg, according to a report from TSN’s Matthew Scianitti.
After practice, head coach Scott Milanovich told Scianitti that Mitchell is dealing with swelling and that he should be ready to play when training camp gets underway next week, calling the boot “precautionary.”
Mitchell started six games in 2023, his first season in Hamilton, missing time due to an adductor injury and a fractured leg. He completed 59.1 percent of his passes for 1,031 yards with six touchdowns and ten interceptions, posting a 2-4 record.
The 34-year-old significantly restructured his contract with the Tiger-Cats this off-season and is currently the CFL’s ninth-highest-paid quarterback after ranking second last season. The two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player got a strong endorsement from general manager Ed Hervey in January, who said he anticipates Mitchell will have a late-career renaissance similar to that of Anthony Calvillo.
“People thought Anthony Calvillo’s career was done. Then when (now-Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ head coach) Scott (Milanovich) and (Marc) Trestman got with A.C., things changed and he finished (his career) very strongly,” said Hervey.
“We feel the same way about Bo as well, so it’s really about his health, the conditioning that he comes into training camp with, and surrounding him with players that can help not only make plays for him but protect him and, defensively, getting the ball back.”
Taylor Powell, who went 4-5 as a starter during his rookie season in 2023, is expected to serve as the club’s primary backup this year after Matthew Shiltz signed with the Calgary Stampeders in free agency. He completed 67.5 percent of his passes last season for 2,283 yards, 10 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
The other quarterbacks currently on Hamilton’s roster are West Georgia standout Harrison Frost and Kevin Thomson, who spent time with the B.C. Lions during 2021 and 2022.
