Written by Nic Hauka- If you walk into the BC Lions’ practice facility, you’ll likely run into quarterback Nathan Rourke. The Leos’ signal-caller has been hard at work grinding away in the weight room, meticulously watching film and learning new head coach Buck Pierce’s offence. When Rourke’s not grinding way within the facility, you can find him on the field, perfecting his craft with trainer Rob Williams.
This return of stability and routine is something the quarterback hasn’t experienced since he left for the NFL in 2023. From the day he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in January of that year to August of 2024, when his time down south came to an end in Atlanta, the signal caller’s life was a whirlwind, to say the least. Rourke was on four different rosters in a year and a half and wasn’t ever able to settle in.
“You’re literally just learning a new language wherever you go and that was difficult because I always felt like I was behind,” Rourke said.
“Being a leader at the quarterback position, you’re always trying to get to know your teammates and when you’re always the new guy, it’s hard when you walk into that situation.”
After navigating four changes of scenery, four new playbooks and four new sets of teammates while doing whatever he could to stay afloat and earn a roster spot in the NFL, Rourke decided to head back to the CFL last August. And it was indeed a whirlwind.
He was thrust into the starting role after less than a week of practice due to injuries to the team’s quarterback room. After not having many meaningful snaps in more than a year, Rourke didn’t play up to his lofty standards for himself.
“I certainly had higher expectations, probably thought that I could go in and just pick up where I left off, but I hadn’t played a ton of meaningful snaps in the time that I was gone,” he said.
“You’re humbled really quickly when you go down south and you bury yourself on the depth chart. I think it took me a minute to regain a little bit of my swagger, that kind of self-confidence in myself.”
When talking to Rourke, it’s apparent that he’s regained that lost swagger. He attributes a big part of his regained confidence to the Lions organization’s trust and belief in his abilities, something the 2022 Most Outstanding Canadian award winner doesn’t take for granted.
Offense: +1 pic.twitter.com/eeA3uENUEA
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) April 26, 2025
“There are people who believe in me and are giving me the keys and that’s exciting. That’s what you work hard for, right? And at the end of the day, I’m just excited to be in a place where I feel like I can grow and they’re going to invest in my growth,” Rourke said.
“My experience down south has led me to really appreciate that kind of belief from an organization. It doesn’t happen all the time. It’s very rare. There are only so many people on the planet that get that and I feel very lucky to be in a position.”
Nathan isn’t the only Rourke with a front office investing in his future. His brother Kurtis was just drafted in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. The Rourke family gathered in Kurtis’s home in Cincinnati together over the weekend and nervously watched on the edge of their seats as they waited for Kurtis’s name to be called.
“We weren’t really sure what to expect. There was a wide margin of where he could go. And every time that kind of team came up on day three, we were kind of on edge and kind of waiting,” said Nathan on the family watch party.
“The phone rang and everyone got really quiet and was listening. He was getting emotional and when he said it was the 49ers who were up on the clock, everyone went nuts.”
It was San Francisco quarterback coach Mick Lombardi who called the younger Rourke with the exciting news. Now, Kurtis has a legitimate shot to compete for the 49ers’ backup spot. He also happens to have a brother in Nathan, who’s been through the process of NFL training camp and can lean on him for guidance.
“I was asking him, ‘What did you do when you got to Indiana?’ I think he had all the right answers. He talked about earning people’s respect, not going there thinking that you deserve anything, working your tail off, and then earning your voice,” Nathan said.
“He also talked about treating everyone with respect in the building, your athletic therapists, your equipment staff, your training staff, nutritionists, anyone you come across, coaches, front office, you know, treating them with respect and showing face,” he continued.
“He did all those things in Indiana and I just kind of said, ‘hey, don’t change anything.’ I know that if he goes in with that approach, he’s going to have success.”
After a weekend away celebrating his brother’s big moment, Rourke is back in the Lions’ facility, mere hours after his return flight home had landed. He says hello to everyone in the building on his way to battling post-flight legs in the weight room during his lift.
With camp less than a week away, the grind doesn’t stop for the Lions’ starting quarterback and neither does his excitement for the start of the 2025 campaign. Rourke says he’s “fired up” to get to work with his teammates as they learn more about Pierce’s offence, build chemistry, and timing for when the bullets start flying in June. As the Lions do, they’ll have Rourke at the helm with his swagger back as camp is set to ensue.
Buckle up. It could be the sequel to Nathan’s outstanding ten-game sample size in 2022.