Nathan Rourke

Nathan Rourke (born May 24, 1998)  is a Canadian professional football quarterback. He plays for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (NFL). He has also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL).

Career
Rourke attended Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kansas before transferring to Ohio University to play for the Ohio Bobcats. He had a successful time with the Bobcats. He led the team to a winning record of 25–14 and helped them reach the 2017 Bahamas Bowl, 2018 Frisco Bowl, and the 2020 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (January) where they won each game. For his success, Rourke was named the first ever Jon Cornish Trophy winner for being the top Canadian player in NCAA football and won the trophy again he next year.

He was drafted 15th overall by the BC Lions in the 2020 CFL draft. On May 19, 2021, Rourke signed a three-year contract with the Lions. On August 6, 2021, Rourke made his CFL debut as a starting quarterback in a 33–29 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He replaced the injured Michael Reilly and backed him up when he returned.

The next season, Rourke became the Lions main starting quarterback. On June 25, 2022, Rourke set a CFL record for most passing yards by a Canadian quarterback in a game after he recorded 436 in a 44–3 win against the Toronto Argonauts. On August 6, 2022, Rourke broke his own record for passing yards by a Canadian by throwing for 477 yards and recording 5 touchdowns, as well as, completing 34 out of 37 pass attempts for the highest pass completion rate in a single CFL game with a minimum of 30 attempts. Rourke continued to break CFL records when he ended the season with a completion percentage of 78.7% which set a record for the highest completion percentage in a single season in CFL history.

On January 16, 2023, Rourke signed a three-year contract to join the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). On December 16, the Jaguars waived him.

On December 18, 2023, the New England Patriots claimed him off waivers and then released him on May 6, 2024.

On May 7, 2024, the New York Giants claimed Rourke off waivers and waived him on July 28.

On August 1, Rourke signed a contract to join the Atlanta Falcons and was released on August 11.

On August 13, 2024, Rourke signed a three-year contract to rejoin the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League (CFL). On September 19, 2025, Rourke rushed for three touchdowns and completed passes for two other. He reached 3,935 yards and set the single-season passing record by a Canadian player in a 26–16 loss to the Calgary Stampeders.

References

 Other websites 

BC Lions profile

Category:1998 births
Category:Living people
Category:American football quarterbacks
Category:Atlanta Falcons players
Category:BC Lions players
Category:Canadian players of American football
Category:Jacksonville Jaguars players
Category:New England Patriots players
Category:New York Giants players
Category:Sportspeople from Victoria, British Columbia