B.C. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke was unable to finish his Week 2 matchup with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after suffering an injured oblique mid-way through the fourth quarter.
Rourke went down without contact after throwing an incomplete pass to Keon Hatcher on the wide-side out, appearing to be in serious pain. He left the field clutching his side and was unable to return after visibly grimacing while attempting to throw. Backup Jeremiah Masoli took over for the remainder of the contest and was unable to mount a comeback.
“I’m not sure exactly what it is. I won’t speculate, but it was affecting the way I was throwing it,” Rourke told reporters post-game. “I couldn’t throw it, so I thought it was better for the team if I took myself out at that point because I wasn’t able to generate enough power on the ball. So I don’t know what it is, but I’m glad on a long week so, hopefully, we’ll be able to go next week. I’m optimistic, but we’ll see what it is and go from there.”
The 25-year-old Canadian had already pushed through an apparent ankle injury suffered in the first half and was facing a 34-20 deficit at the time of his exit. On the play prior, he was contorted awkwardly while trying to avoid a sack, though it is unclear if that was the cause of the injury.
Rourke finished the game 12-of-27 for 249 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while rushing six times for 58 yards and a touchdown. He was named the CFL’s top performer in Week 1 after throwing for 324 yards and three touchdowns while running for 54 in the Lions’ season opener.
The native of Oakville, Ont. has appeared in 29 career CFL games over four seasons with the Lions, throwing for 6,457 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions while rushing for 740 yards and 18 majors. In 2022, he became the first quarterback to be named the league’s Most Outstanding Canadian since 1980 despite missing half the season with a Lisfranc sprain.
Rourke returned to Canada in 2024 following a one-year stint in the NFL that featured stops with the Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Giants, and Atlanta Falcons. He is scheduled to be the CFL’s highest-paid player this season.
