Canadian defensive lineman Mathieu Betts has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the B.C. Lions for the rest of the 2024 season, per sources.
The 29-year-old produced two solo tackles and one sack over three NFL preseason games with the Detriot Lions in August. He worked out for the team on Dec. 19, signed in February and was released on NFL cutdown day.
Betts had the best year of his career in 2023 with the Lions when he made 42 defensive tackles, 18 sacks and four forced fumbles. He broke Brett Johnson’s CFL record for single-season sacks by a Canadian player and was named the league’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
The Montreal, Que. native won two Vanier Cups while at Laval University and earned the J.P. Metras Trophy for three consecutive years as the best lineman in U Sports, becoming the first player ever to accomplish that feat.
After attending the East-West Shrine Bowl in January 2019, five NFL teams — the New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers — travelled to Quebec City for his pro day on March 11, 2019.
The six-foot-three, 250-pound defensive lineman signed with the Chicago Bears in April 2019 as an undrafted free agent but he was released by the team at the end of training camp. He was selected in the first round, third overall by the Edmonton Elks during the 2019 CFL Draft.
Through 55 CFL games, Betts has made 81 tackles, 27 sacks, five forced fumbles, and four special teams tackles.
The Lions are 5-6 third place in the West Division. Through 12 weeks, B.C. ranks fourth in sacks made with 22. Sione Teuhema leads the Leos with five sacks, Joshua Archibald has four while fellow defensive end Pete Robertson has two but he’s on the six-game injured list.
Expect Betts to play when the Lions host the Ottawa Redblacks for the Touchdown Pacific game on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. He’s the second major signing the Leos have made after being cut by an NFL team in August, joining Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke.
