The B.C. Lions have signed American quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse.
The 23-year-old threw for 3,568 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions at Illinois State University in 2025 to earn a Missouri Valley Football Conference honourable mention. He also rushed 107 times for 428 yards and seven scores.
“Tommy is an athletic, productive quarterback that’s consistently made plays as a runner and a passer at Illinois State,” said general manager Ryan Rigmaiden in a statement. “He is another dynamic player for our QB room that we are really excited about.”
The native of Geneva, Ill. spent his entire collegiate career with the Redbirds, completing 64.8 percent of his pass attempts for 7,117 yards, 60 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions over 44 games. He also rushed 235 times for 1,145 yards and 19 scores.
The five-foot-eleven, 195-pound passer was a two-time Missouri Valley Football Conference honourable mention.
Illinois State’s alumni with CFL ties includes longtime quarterback Kevin Glenn, Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back Deandre Lamont, former second-round draft pick Jonathan St-Pierre, and former defensive lineman Romeo McKnight.
The Lions now have four quarterbacks under contract for 2026, including Nathan Rourke, Chase Brice, Gevani McCoy, and Rittenhouse.
The B.C. Lions signed defensive lineman Casey Sayles and linebacker Darnell Sankey after they were released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes, respectively, though the team was relatively inactive in free agency. The team’s major departure was All-CFL offensive lineman Jarell Broxton, who signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The Lions hold the seventh overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. B.C. will play its first preseason game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, May 23 and its first regular-season game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, June 13.
In 2025, B.C. finished second in the West Division standings with an 11-7 record. They beat the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final but lost the West Final to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Franchise quarterback Nathan Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions to be named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.
