Calgary Stampeders hitch quarterback wagon to “Big-play VA” Vernon Adams Jr.

Calgary Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., right, hands the ball off to Jeshrun Antwi during first half CFL preseason football action against the Edmonton Elks in Calgary, Saturday, May 24, 2025. The Stampeders look to Adams to help turn the team around in 2025 after missing the playoffs last season. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

The road back to the CFL playoffs goes through Vernon Adams Jr. in Calgary.

The Stampeders acquired the quarterback from the B.C. Lions a month after their worst season in two decades concluded in 2024. Calgary finished last in the CFL with a 5-12-1 record.

The Lions choosing Nathan Rourke their No. 1 pivot, and Calgary looking for an upgrade after two and a half seasons of Jake Maier brought the 32-year-old Adams to a team looking for a turnaround in 2025 after missing the post-season for the first time in 19 years.

“He’s Vernon Adams, he’s Big-Play VA, so he’s going to bring Calgary back to where it used to be,” predicted receiver Dominique Rhymes.

“He’s used to being a winner, so he is going to be bringing that winning culture, and I think it’s going happen immediately.”

Adams denies B.C.’s preference for Rourke injects extra motivation into him as a Stampeder.

“No, not at all. I’m blessed, I’m grateful,” the Californian declared. “I’m happy a team wants me and I’m here. It’s the start of a new journey and it’s great.”

The five-foot-11, 195-pound pivot led the CFL in passing yards in 2023 (4,769) and ranked second in touchdowns (31). He was in the conversation for Most Outstanding Player in 2024 with B.C. before he was sidelined with injury in August.

CFL quarterbacks often get disproportionate credit for wins and blame for losses in a team game, but there’s no denying the position’s importance in a three-down league.

“One twelfth, but quarterback play is vital,” said Stampeders coach and general manager Dave Dickenson, a former CFL quarterback himself.

“I don’t need fancy plays. Make plays, sure, but do what is required to win. He’s done that in his career. He is definitely a guy that is a winner and finds ways to win ball games even sometimes when he maybe he’s not having his best stuff.

“I really believe halfway through the year, he was odds-on favourite to win the MOP last year and injuries kind of derailed it. Careers are weird that way. They definitely take you from one city to the other. I think he’s happy to be here and we just got to provide him the support so he can be Vernon.”

New Stampeder quarterbacks coach Dakota Prukop has had a close view of Adams’ career since Prukop played for Montana State and Adams for Eastern Washington in the Big Sky Conference.

Both men eventually transferred to Oregon, with Prukop a Duck a year after Adams. The two men continued to circle each other in the CFL before crossing paths at Lions training camp last year.

“Vernon’s a veteran in the CFL, but this is his first year in this playbook,” Prukop said.

“His ability to pick up this playbook in the way he has and have the details in this play book has been something really impressive. That has not surprised me. I saw his professional habits when we were together in B.C.

“I don’t want to say he’s a gamer in the sense that he does not do well outside of a game, but he has an extra gear on game day. When you couple that with his professionalism and being a true pro, and then he has that extra gear in game day, if the pressure is on, if the score is tight, he’s the guy you want in your huddle.”

Since throwing his first CFL pass for the Montreal Alouettes in 2016, Adams has amassed 16,190 career passing yards with a 64-per-cent completion rate. He’s thrown 86 touchdown passes, as well as 54 interceptions, while rushing for 24 touchdowns.

“My thing was I threw too many interceptions,” Adams said. “Just want to make sure I’m protecting the ball and getting my playmakers the ball. Let them do the rest.”

-- Donna Spencer

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2025.