Canadian QB Nathan Rourke calls CFL game changes ‘garbage’ and ‘make it sound like’ league wants to be NFL

Photo: Jeff Vinnick/B.C. Lions

Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke feels some type of way about the CFL’s changes to its three-down game.

“New rule changes are garbage. It’s garbage. I, as many people did — who are fans and people who play in this league — grew up watching the CFL and loving the game. I grew up in Ontario, played Canadian football rules all my life. I went down to the States proud of the game, being able to explain the differences — the waggle, the yard, the extra person. These are the things that are unique about the game that make it different. I was aware and was a fan of the league down there, but was a fan of the CFL because of its differences,” Rourke said.

“The rule changes to me make it sound like we want to be that league down south, we want to be that league. From recent history and years past, leagues that have tried to emerge to try to be like the NFL haven’t existed for very long. The CFL game has existed for longer than the NFL and there’s a reason for that. It’s unique, the fans love it, I grew up loving this game and they’re changing that — they’re getting rid of a lot of things.”

The Canadian Football League announced modifications to the game on Monday, which will take effect over the next two years. According to commissioner Stewart Johnston, the adjustments were unanimously approved by the league’s lead governors. Rourke wishes more football people were involved in that decision-making process.

“The worst part, I think, about it, honestly, is the fact that the people who play football, who have the football knowledge, were not consulted about this. The players weren’t consulted, the coaches, management, nobody was consulted. This was done on their own accord, this was done independent of asking anyone who actually knows football what they want to do, what they think would be better,” Rourke said.

“We have a commissioner who hasn’t been here for a year who’s already trying to change the game. I don’t believe he loves football as much as I do, as much as many fans do, as much as people who grew up loving this game. You cannot make adjustments like this and tell me that you like football or you love the Canadian football game because you’re changing it.”

“What we’re moving towards is not the Canadian football game that I grew up loving, that I’m passionate about, that I came back and played. I went down and played in the NFL in that league and I came back knowing that this is a game for me because of the uniqueness of it, what’s special about it and we’re getting away from that. Frankly, makes me pretty pissed off.”

Starting in 2027, the field will be shorted to 100 yards with 15-yard end zones. The 65 yards in width will remain the same. Currently, the field is 110 yards with 20-yard end zones. The league indicated the field will be shortened to allow offences to start closer to the opposition’s end zone.

Also for 2027, the goalposts will be moved to the back of the end zones. The league claimed that change is being made to remove an obstruction from play, improve sight-lines, and enhance player safety. The league projects that will result in 10 percent more end zone completions and 60 more touchdowns per season.

“I don’t think that [head coach] Buck [Pierce] and I have ever sat down on the night before day three when we put in our red zone stuff and said, ‘What do we do about the goalposts in the middle of the field? That just doesn’t happen. If anything, offensively, we’re using that as a vehicle to be able to get ourselves open — it’s an extra person to be able to rub things off. It was the first time I hit the goalposts this year, that was my own fault. Looking at it, probably would have been good, it probably would have been an interception.” Rourke said.

“You move the goalposts back, you get rid of one of the things that’s most special about the league, which is its special teams. There’s people who have made a career in this league, we’re going to be playing one of the best in the league this week with [Janarion] Grant — he’s one of the best in the league at fielding missed field goals and returning them and making huge plays out of them. People have made careers, that’s all they do.”

“We’re taking that out, that’s not a thing. You move it to the back, it’s not a thing anymore. So again, we’re moving in the direction of the NFL where they don’t like special teams. They want to make it more and more less of a part of what the game actually is. We’ve always embraced that, I think that’s what’s awesome about it — it’s more exciting — but we’re getting away from that and that’s unfortunate.”

For 2026, the rouge will be modified. A single point will no longer be awarded when a missed field goal attempt goes wide of the goalposts or a punt or kickoff sails through the back or side of the end zone without being touched by a returner. A single point will still be awarded if a returner takes a knee in the end zone on a punt, kickoff, or missed field goal. The CFL claimed that change will “encourage more aggressive play-calling” on third down.

“I can see them not wanting to do that. But again, I think that those types of instances happen so infrequently that they only are a big deal because it’s happening. The other times that it happens, it’s more often than not, it’s what they would call a touchback, you’re getting into the end zone, you’re not having a chance to return it out.

“When he missed the field goal, they were so close, just don’t allow them to get so close so he can do that, it’s a part of the game. Again, special teams is a big part of the game, they’re embracing it. You’re going to have instances where that’s the thing.

“I know that’s a trade-off. But again, the rouge is something that’s uniquely Canadian. Something that, again, I grew up with, loving, and being able to embrace that, embrace special teams, I think is amazing, it’s a part of the uniqueness of the game. The commissioner talked about wanting to preserve the rouge, I don’t believe him, I don’t believe him.”

Also for 2026, all stadiums will have team benches on opposite sides of the field. Rourke understands the advantages to having teams on separate sidelines.

“We both deal with it. You’re on the two different sidelines, one half is going to be harder, one half is going to be easier, or one quarter is going to be easier. We’re all dealing with those things,” Rourke said.

“I don’t see a competitive advantage. I think it’s probably easier so no one can say anything, but that’s the extent, I think, of the decisions they should be making. I don’t think they should make anything about the football, the game itself.”

“The reality of it, whether it’s the dimensions of the field, whether it’s a rounded end zone, we’re playing on the same field. If we’re at McGill and there’s rounded end zones, where every team’s playing on it, we’re both dealing with it.”

Rourke was asked about the B.C. Lions’ offence being highly productive and leading the league in points scored with 430 through 14 games (30.7 points per game) but diverted back to the changes to the game.

“It’s clear to me that the revenue is up in the league, the viewership is up in the league, and scoring is higher than it ever has been — it’s higher than it’s been in the States in the league down south,” Rourke said.

“I don’t know what data we’re looking at where we say we have to make this more exciting, we have to make more scoring — I’m an offensive player, we don’t need anymore advantages, it’s hard enough for the defence as it is. We’re scoring a lot of points right now, it’s not in spite of the rules, it’s because of them. I don’t know what we’re doing.”