Quarterbacks Bo Levi Mitchell, Nathan Rourke finalists for CFL top player honour

Hamilton Tiger Cats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell (19) during first half CFL football game action against the Calgary Stampeders in Hamilton, Ont., Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Power

TORONTO — Bo Levi Mitchell again looks to join very select company.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback was named the East Division nominee for the CFL’s George Reed most outstanding player award Thursday. A two-time winner, (2016, ’18), Mitchell could become just the fifth player to claim the honour three or more times, joining fellow quarterbacks Anthony Calvillo, Russ Jackson, Jackie Parker and Doug Flutie (record six wins).

Mitchell was a ’24 finalist to Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira. He’ll face stiff competition this year from B.C. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke.

Mitchell led the CFL in pass attempts (626), completions (428), yards (5,296) and touchdowns (career-best 36). He was also the only quarterback to start all 18 regular-season games, leading Hamilton (11-7) to first in the East Division.

Rourke was second in both passing yards (5,290) and touchdowns (31) while finishing tied with Winnipeg’s Zach Collaros for most interceptions (16). However, Rourke was the CFL’s top rushing quarterback (564 yards, 9.2-yard average, 10 TDs) as B.C. (11-7) finished the regular season with six straight wins to claim second in the West Division.

B.C. led the CFL in offensive points (29.8 per game), touchdowns (59), net yards (430.2) and passing yards (325.4). Rourke was tops in 300-yard passing games (12, one more than Mitchell), 30-plus yard completions (40) and had a league-best 112.2 efficiency rating.

Awards voting was conducted by the Football Reporters of Canada and nine CFL head coaches.

Rourke is also the West Division nominee for top Canadian, an award he won in 2022. Defensive lineman Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund of the Montreal Alouettes earned the East Division nod.

The six-foot-one, 250-pound Adeyemi-Berglund posted a career-best 11 sacks. The 29-year-old Dartmouth, N.S., native added 29 tackles, two pass knock-downs, two fumble recoveries, a special-teams tackle and tackle for a loss.

B.C.’s Mathieu Betts, who posted a CFL-high 15 sacks, is the West Division’s top defensive player. Betts, who won the award in 2023, added 42 tackles, four forced fumbles, four pass knock-downs, two tackles for a loss and a fumble recovery.

Hamilton’s Julian Howsare received the East Division nomination after finishing second to Betts with a career-best 13 sacks. The 33-year-old American recorded 43 tackles, seven pass knock-downs, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Hamilton’s Brandon Revenberg and Jermarcus Hardrick of the Saskatchewan Roughriders were named the top lineman candidates. The six-foot-four, 300-pound Revenberg, 32, of Essex, Ont., is a four-time nominee while this marks the second nod for the six-foot-four, 325-pound Hardrick.

Revenberg helped Mitchell lead the CFL in passing and running back Greg Bell rush for 1,038 yards. Hardrick anchored an offensive line that also paved the way for a 1,000-yard rusher (A.J. Ouellette with 1,222 yards) as the Riders finished second in net offence (382.6 yards per game) and took first in the West Division for the first time since 2019.

Two very worthy candidates are up for the John Argo trophy as the CFL’s top special-teams player.

Trey Vaval of the Winning Blue Bombers was a force this year as a returner. The five-foot-11, 163-pound American led the CFL in punt returns (75) and yards (957) with a touchdown while returning two kickoffs for scores _ most in the league. He was also tops in missed field goal returns (six), yards (391), longest return (128) and touchdowns (one).

Toronto Argonauts kicker Lirim Hajrullahu earned the East Division nod after a stellar ’25 season. The 35-year-old from St. Catharines, Ont., made 57-of-64 field goals, including a CFL-record 12 from 50-plus yards (on 15 attempts) and league-best 25-of-30 from 40-plus yards.

Vaval is also up for the CFL top rookie honour with Hamilton linebacker Devin Veresuk. The six-foot-two, 240-pound Veresuk, of Windsor, Ont., was taken second overall in the ’25 CFL draft and became a starter early in the season.

Veresuk posted 67 tackles, three special-teams tackles, two sacks and an interception, which was a 36-yard pick-six in his first pro start, a 35-17 win over Montreal on June 27.

Saskatchewan’s Corey Mace and Jason Maas of the Montreal Alouettes are again CFL coach of the year finalists. Maas won last year’s award.

Mace led Saskatchewan to a CFL-best 12-6 record and first in the West Division in his second season. Montreal (10-8) finished second in the East despite having to use four quarterbacks as injury limited Davis Alexander to just seven regular-season starts.

Montreal has posted double-digit wins in all three seasons under Maas. It won the ’23 Grey Cup in his first year with the franchise.

The CFL will hold its annual awards banquet Nov. 13 in Winnipeg. The coach of the year will be honoured at the ’26 national combine in Edmonton from March 27-29.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2025.