B.C. Lions look to turn playoff heartbreak into a Grey Cup run this season

B.C. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke (12) runs against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers during first-half CFL pre-season football action in Winnipeg on Friday, May 29, 2026. (John Woods / The Canadian Press)

VANCOUVER — Last season, the BC Lions were just 11 seconds away from advancing to their first Grey Cup since 2011.

A Trevor Harris pass to Tommy Nield in the dying moments of the Western Final gave the Saskatchewan Roughriders a 24-21 victory. The Riders would go on to defeat the Montreal Alouettes for the CFL championship, while the Lions had a long winter to think about what might have been.

With a new campaign approaching, B.C. defensive end Mathieu Betts said the Lions have moved on from last season’s heartbreak and are focused on what lies ahead.

“If you lose on the last play of the game, or you lose by 30 points … we didn’t get it done,” said Betts, the first Canadian to win the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player award twice. “To be that close, it’s frustrating.”

“For me, the motivation is to win the Grey Cup. It’s a clean slate. We’re moving forward. We know we have to play good football consistently throughout the year, start early and make sure we finish fast.”

Buck Pierce, the Lions’ head coach and offensive co-ordinator, believes the team is building on last season’s progress.

“Some of the things that we did throughout the course of the season, the lessons we learned, where we got to, was good growth,” said the former CFL quarterback. “What I’ve been preaching to the guys is that we’ve learned those lessons last year. We’ve got to make sure we don’t repeat some mistakes.

“I think there’s an understanding of what winning football needs to look like, what our daily process needs to look like. The expectations in the meeting rooms, the expectations for practice, I think those are established now.”

After an up-and-down first half of last season, the Lions won their final six games to finish second in the West with an 11-7 record, then beat Calgary in the conference semifinal.

B.C.’s high-octane offence led the league in net offence (7,743 yards), points (559) and touchdowns (59), but the defence gave up the third-most points (499) of any CFL team.

Quarterback Nathan Rourke was named the league’s Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian after completing 353 of 500 passes for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He comes into the season having signed an extension that will keep him with the club through 2028.

One of Rourke’s favourite targets last year was Keon Hatcher Sr., who led the league with 102 catches for 1,688 yards. Canadian Justin McInnis was third overall with 76 catches for 1,256 yards.

The Lions also have American Stanley Berryhill (54 catches, 715 yards) and national Jevon Cottoy (55-681).

While the Lions lost American receiver Ayden Eberhardt to free agency, they took Mississauga, Ont., native Nate DeMontagnac from the University of North Dakota seventh overall in this year’s draft.

Running back James Butler, who was third overall last year with 1,213 yards and 11 touchdowns on 229 carries, re-upped on a two-year deal.

“He is a major part of our offence,” said Pierce. “We’re continuing to develop him in different facets, to be able to do more things and utilize him in multiple ways.”

In a move to stiffen their defence, the Lions dipped into free agency for American linebacker Darnell Sankey, who spent last season with the Montreal Alouettes and former Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive lineman Casey Sayles.

Betts said Sankey, who had 101 tackles and two sacks last year, is a proven veteran.

“He’s an elite linebacker,” said Betts, who led the league with 15 sacks last year. “He’s coming in with the task to learn the defence. I feel like he’s going to be really good for us starting with our first game, but he’s only going to improve throughout the year.”

Last season served as a learning curve for both the coaching staff and players. Pierce and defensive co-ordinator Mike Benevides were in their first years in those roles, introducing new terminology and processes.

Rourke said everyone has a better grasp of the playbook this season.

“I’m excited about the opportunity again to work with Buck, take this offence to the next level,” said the 28-year-old Victoria native. “Hopefully to continue to build on what we did last year.”

The Lions will also face an unusual schedule to start the season because of the FIFA World Cup. With BC Place hosting seven tournament matches, B.C. won’t play in Vancouver until July 25 against Toronto.

The Lions, who held training camp in Kamloops and played an exhibition game in Langford, will open the regular season with road games in Regina on June 13 and Hamilton on June 18. They will host Calgary and Edmonton in Kelowna before returning to BC Place.

Rourke said the team will need to adapt.

“Guys love a routine at this level,” he said. “It’s going to be challenging. You have to be flexible.”

Season Snapshot

2025 record: 11-7, second, West Division

Did you know?: Kelowna’s Apple Bowl is being expanded from its regular capacity of 2,314 to more than 17,000 for the Lions’ first two home games on June 27 and July 4. BC Place is unavailable because of the World Cup.

Key additions: LB Darnell Sankey (Montreal); DL Casey Sayles (Hamilton); OL Joshua Donovan (Toronto); WR Nate DeMontagnac (University of North Dakota).

Key losses: OL Jarell Broxton (Winnipeg); WR Ayden Eberhard (Ottawa); LB Josh Wood (Saskatchewan); LB Micah Awe (Montreal).

Players to watch: QB Nathan Rourke; RB James Butler; WR Keon Hatcher; WR Justin McInnis; DE Mathieu Betts; K Sean Whyte.

This report by Jim Morris of The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2026.