The Lions are the oldest and most successful professional sports organization in British Columbia. Over the course of more than seven decades, the BC Lions Football Club has entertained millions of fans and created a lifetime of memories for fans across the province.

Since the club’s early beginnings in 1953, generations of Lions fans have witnessed the club’s first touchdown, first win, the construction of BC Place, six amazing Grey Cup wins and come to love hundreds of great players over the years. We present a year-by-year history of the BC Lions, complete with championship moments, key milestones and an endless amount of solid contributors on the field and in the front office.

ENTERING THE WIFU / EARLY CHALLENGES: 1951 TO 1959

1951- A group led by Ken Stauffer and Tiny Radar, inspired by columnist Andy Lytle, sends representatives to the off-season Western Interprovincial Football Union meetings to initiate Vancouver’s bid for a team.

1952- WIFU rejects Vancouver’s application when Winnipeg and Regina vote against the idea of a fifth team.

1953- The first annual meeting of the club, held on January 22, 1953, saw Arthur E. Mercer named as the first President. With the help of future Hall of Fame builder Vic Spencer, Vancouver was granted a conditional franchise on the requirements of a 15,000-seat stadium, selling 6,500 season tickets and providing guaranteed travel expenses of the visiting teams. The Lions hire their first head coach Annis Stukus, who begins to scout for players without the aid of an expansion draft. Water boy and future club GM, President and Hall of Famer Bob Ackles is hired.

1954-Empire Stadium opens in time for the 1954 British Empire Games and the Lions’ inaugural season in the WIFU. The Lions’ first-ever game is a 22-0 pre-season loss to Montreal before 19,371 spectators at the new facility. The Lions open at home on August 28, 1954 against Winnipeg. Their first ever TD comes a minute before half-time as By Bailey crashes over from one yard out to give BC a 5-1 lead. Winnipeg fought back, however, with a TD to re-take the lead. Two 4th quarter singles eventually gave Winnipeg the victory by an 8-6 count. It would not be until the seventh game that the Lions would post their only victory of 1954. BC upset Calgary 9-4 at home on September 18th as By Bailey scored the only TD of the game on the soggy field of Empire Stadium. The Lions draw 135,983 fans to the first season’s eight home games.

1955 -BC started off 3-2 but won just 5 games under Coach Stukus, replacing him with Clem Crowe after the season.

1956- Paul Cameron of UCLA is signed and is named to the west all-star team but BC finishes fourth at 6-10.

1957- Herb Capozzi is hired as the club’s GM (1957-66), later producing the first Grey Cup-winning team.

1958- A 10-game losing streak sees Clem Crowe replaced by Dan Edwards and a 3-13 record.

1959- Wayne Robinson of Winnipeg is hired as new head coach and the great Willie Fleming is signed from Iowa University. The first real Lions’ success is capped on October 24th in front of 31,594 fans at Empire Stadium as Bill Jessup catches a TD pass from Randy Duncan to secure the first Lions playoff spot. October 31st: BC’s first-ever playoff game is a 20-8 loss to Edmonton at Empire Stadium.

THE 1960’S / THE FIRST GREY CUP GAMES

1960- Neal Beaumont captures the club’s first-ever Western Award as he is named Rookie-of-the-Year. All-time club greats Norm Fieldgate and Willie Fleming are named to the all-star team.

1961- August 24th: BC obtains QB Joe Kapp in a 5-player trade with Calgary and hires Dave Skrien as head coach.

1962 -LB Tom Brown is named the West’s Top Lineman and FB Nub Beamer leads the West in rushing.

1963 – The Lions set a then-club record with 12 wins, finishing first to capture their initial Western title by beating Saskatchewan in a best-of-three series. Joe Kapp is named the West’s Most Outstanding Player while Willie Fleming sets a CFL record, averaging 9.7 yards per carry and piling up a then club record 1,234 yards. November 30th: The first Grey Cup in club history is a disappointing 21-10 loss at Empire Stadium in front of 36,545 fans. Mack Burton scores the first BC Grey Cup TD on a 5-yard pass from Joe Kapp.

1964- The Lions repeat the success of 1963 with an 11-2-3 mark, including an unbeaten 6-0-2 home record. BC wins their second straight Western title by beating Calgary in the best-of-three final series. October 17th: Willie Fleming sets an unbreakable club and CFL record with a 109-yard touchdown run and is later named among 10 BC Lions on the West All-Star Team. BC wins their first Grey Cup, beating Hamilton 34-24. Bill Munsey leads the way with 2 TDs, including a 71-yard fumble return. All-time great By Bailey retires after 11 seasons with the club, Tom Brown wins his third Top Lineman Award and Peter Kempf of UBC is named Rookie-of-the-Year.

1965- October 24th: The Lions set a CFL record with an attendance of 37,788 at Empire Stadium. Injuries cripple the lineup as the Lions fall to 6-9-1.

1966- Willie Fleming retires as the Lions’ all-time leading gainer with 12,465 total yards in 125 games. Joe Kapp leaves the club for the NFL (Minnesota).

1967- Denny Veitch is hired as the club’s fourth General Manager (1967-70) and head coach Dave Skrien is replaced by assistant Jim Champion. BC obtains the rights to WR Jim Young in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL. All-time great and Hall of Famer Norm Fieldgate retires after 14 seasons and 223 games for the club.

1968- BC Lions Wall of Famer Jim Evenson joins the club while Ted Gerela leads the West in scoring with 115 points. Jackie Parker plays his only season in a BC uniform and is named head coach the following season.

1969- A 4-year playoff drought is snapped as the Lions edge into 3rd place and earn a trip to Calgary for the West Semi-Final game.

THE 1970’S / ESTABLISHING LONG-TERM SUCCESS

1973- Greg Findlay retires after 12 seasons and 178 games for BC. The Lions return to the playoffs for the first time since 1969.

1974- The Lions produce an 8-8 .500 record and make the playoffs for a second straight season under Eagle Keys.

1975 –Bob Ackles (1975-1986) is hired as the Lions’ General Manager, beginning the club’s ascension to multiple Division Finals and Grey Cup appearances. By Bailey becomes the first original BC Lions player to be elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

1976- August 5th: Early club director Harry C. Spring is elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. The Lions draft K Lui Passaglia and LB Glen Jackson from SFU.

1977 -The Lions hire Vic Rapp as Head Coach and go above .500 for the first time in 12 years, initiating a run of 12 seasons at .500 or better.

1979- Jim Young retires after 13 seasons as the Lions’ all-time leading receiver with 9,248 yards and 65 TDs. Norm Fieldgate is elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

THE 1980’S / A POST-SEASON FIXTURE

1981- BC starts the season 5-0 but eventually loses the Western Final to Edmonton.

1982 – Willie Fleming is elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, while future great and Rookie-of-the-Year Mervyn Fernandez is signed from San Jose State. The Lions draw 15,071 fans to the final home game at Empire Stadium on November 6, 1982.

1983- July 24th: The Lions open B.C. Place Stadium in front of a then-CFL record 41,810 fans. Under new Head Coach Don Matthews, the Lions regain first place in the West for the first time since 1964, reaching their third-ever Grey Cup. After leading 17-7, they fall 18-17 to Toronto at B.C. Place.

1984- October 27th: The Lions set a CFL record with an attendance of 59,421 . 1964 greats Joe Kapp and Tom Brown are elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. The Lions finish on top of the West at 12-3-1 but lose to Winnipeg in the Western Final.

1985- With 13 wins and their third straight regular season title, the Lions surpass the club record and beat Winnipeg 42-22 in the West Final to reach the Grey Cup. WR Mervyn Fernandez is named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player. The Lions win the second Grey Cup in their history, breaking a 21-year drought with a 37-24 triumph over Hamilton.

1986 -Bob Ackles receives a special Schenley Award for his outstanding contributions to Canadian football and leaves the Lions for the NFL. Joe Galat takes over the Lions GM (1986-1989).

1987 -Lui Passaglia becomes the first player to record 200 points in a single season with a club record 52 FGs. Larry Donovan takes over as Head Coach and wins all four of his games to finish on top of the West. Eleven Lions’ players are named to the Western all-star team led by all-time great DB Larry Crawford.

1988- The Lions reach their fifth Grey Cup, coming all the way through on the road in the western playoffs but lose 22-21 to Winnipeg in Ottawa. WR David Williams is named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.

1989- Joe Galat takes over from Larry Donovan as Head Coach. The BC Lions Football Club passes from community into private ownership after 35 years.

THE 1990’S / GREY CUP VICTORY #3

1990– Head Coach Eagle Keys joins the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Joe Kapp takes over as GM but is replaced by Jim Young midway through 1990. Bob O’Billovich assumes head coaching and GM duties with seven games remaining. QB Doug Flutie signs with BC as a free agent.

August 20th: K Lui Passaglia becomes the all-time CFL scoring leader with 2,312 points.

1991- Tom Hinton and Jim Young join the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Jim Mills wins his second straight Top Lineman Award while CFL M/O Player QB Doug Flutie sets all-time CFL passing records of 6,619 yards and 466 completions. Jon Volpe is named Rookie-of-the-Year and leads the West in rushing with 1,395 yards, setting a CFL record for first-year players with 20 TDs. BC sets the all-time CFL records with 9,117 yards of net offence and 6,714 yards passing.

1992- The 1992 season sees the club’s record fall to 3-15 and out of the playoffs but reflects only a one-year absence from post-season play.

1993- Dave Ritchie is named the Lions’ Head Coach under new GM Eric Tillman (1993-95). The Lions post a 10-8 record and a earn a spot in the West Semi-Final.

1994- July 21st: K Lui Passaglia becomes the all-time CFL games played leader with 289, surpassing Ron Lancaster. BC starts the season 8-1-1 but finishes 11-6-1 to grab a trip to the West semi-final. The Lion set a club record with 67 points vs Shreveport on Aug 27/94.

For the second time in club history, the Lions reach the Grey Cup after finishing third. BC beats Calgary 37-36 in the snow at McMahon Stadium on the 1994 West Final’s last play behind Danny McManus’ pass to Darren Flutie. The Lions capture their third Grey Cup and only one at home with a 26-23 triumph over Baltimore. Lui Passaglia’s 38-yard FG on the final play decided the contest.

1995– Cory Philpot sets a then-CFL record with 22 touchdowns. The Lions compete in the North Division in the final year with American-based clubs.

1996– George Chayka assumes VP, Football Operations duties. Damon Allen signs as a free agent. The CFL reverts to an All-Canadian team format.

1997- David Braley assumes ownership of the BC Lions Football Club in January 1997, while Adam Rita takes over as the club’s General Manager (1997-2002). Al Wilson is elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

1998– A 9-9 record earns a second straight playoff appearance as part of an overall 20-year post-season run (1997-2016).

1999- BC matches club 13 wins, takes 11 places on the West all-star team and five individual awards but loses the West Final at home to Calgary 26-24.

THE 2000’S / THE WALLY BUONO ERA BEGINS

2000- Starting the season at 5-9, the Lions get on a roll, winning 3 of 4 down the stretch to eke into the playoffs. Winning at both Edmonton and Calgary, the Lions post four consecutive must-win games to reach the 2000 Grey Cup in Lui Passaglia’s final season. Sean Millington is named the CFL’s Top Canadian Player and an All-Star. BC captures their fourth Grey Cup with a 28-26 win over Montreal at McMahon Stadium. Lui Passaglia retires after setting all-time CFL records with 25 seasons, 408 games and 3,991 points. LB Barrin Simpson is named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie and the West’s Top Defensive Player.

2001- Bill Frank and James Parker are elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. All-time leading receiver Geroy Simon and Brent Johnson sign with the Lions.

2002- Bob Ackles returns to the club as President and is elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Jamie Taras retires after 16 seasons and 264 games with the Lions (second only to Lui Passaglia). Jason Clermont is drafted from the University of Regina and is named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie.

2003- Wally Buono is hired as the Lions’ Head Coach and General Manager, while QB Dave Dickenson joins the club as a free agent and captures the West nomination as Most Outstanding Player. Dickenson sets all-time CFL records for completion percentage (74.0%) and QB rating (118.8).

2004- In one of the finest seasons in club history, BC grabs first with a 13-5 mark, setting a club record of eight straight games. Casey Printers leads the Lions at QB and is named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player. BC beats Saskatchewan in the 2004 West Final to reach their eighth Grey Cup but fall to Toronto by a 27-19 count in Ottawa. All-time leading professional scorer Lui Passaglia and former Head Coach Cal Murphy are elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

2005- A second straight Western regular season title at 12-6 followed a club record 11-game winning streak to start the season. The BC overall winning streak of 14 (including the final 3 games of 2004) matches the second longest in league history. Brent Johnson receives his first of two CFL Top Canadian Player Awards. Ray Nettles is elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

2006- The Lions win 11 of their last 13 games to post a 13-5 mark and their third straight first-place finish. BC destroyed Saskatchewan 45-18 in the West Final behind QB Dave Dickenson and CFL Most Outstanding Player Geroy Simon. Ten Lions players are named to the all-star team and the club captures five individual awards, including two by Brent Johnson as Top Canadian and Defensive Player. Aaron Hunt earns Top Rookie honours in the CFL. The club captures their 5th Grey Cup victory with a 25-14 win over Montreal. Club builder Vic Spencer and QB Matt Dunigan are elected to the Hall of Fame.

2007- BC captures a fourth consecutive Western regular season title with a club record 14 wins (including the final eight games) and playing in their fourth straight home West Division Final. A club record 15 Lions’ players are named Western all-stars, including Geroy Simon who led the CFL in receiving. The Lions dominate the CFL Awards with Cameron Wake (Defensive), Jason Clermont (Canadian), Rob Murphy (Offensive Lineman), and Ian Smart (Special Teams) receiving recognition. Darren Flutie is elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

2008- The club and their fans are saddened by the loss of Bob Ackles in July. Former Lion Doug Flutie is elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. The Lions secure their twelfth consecutive playoff spot and fifth Western Final berth in a row with an 11-7 mark. Geroy Simon becomes the Lions’ all-time leading receiver surpassing Jim Young. Wally Buono pulls to within four wins of Don Matthews as the CFL’s all-time winningest coach with 227 victories.

DE Cam Wake is named the CFL’s Top Defensive Player for the second straight season and signs with the Miami Dolphins of the NFL.

2009 -Jim Mills and Alondra Johnson are inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Despite posting their first sub .500 mark since 2001, the Lions earned a cross-over berth into the East Division playoffs and won their first-ever playoff game outside of the West. Wally Buono became the all-time winningest coach in CFL history, pushing his total to 235 wins over 20 seasons. Martell Mallett earns Top Rookie honours in the CFL while Rick Foley is named the league’s Top Canadian Player for 2009.

THE 2010’S TO A NEW DECADE & NEW LOCAL OWNERSHIP

2010- The Lions began the 2010 season with one of the slowest starts in club history but went on to create the year of the comeback. The year played out in two halves with a 7-3 finish following on the heels of a 1-7 start. Facing elimination in each of the final three weeks the club edged Edmonton to finish third in the West and earn a date in Regina with the Riders. The Lions dropped their third overtime loss in a stretch of six games by a 41-38 score to end their run of six straight division final appearances. Solomon Elimimian earns the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie Award while Paul McCallum and Ryan Phillips earn places on the All-CFL team. Yonus Davis is the western nominee for Special Teams and Travis Lulay earns the starting job at quarterback late in the year.

2011- In 2011, a slow start (1-6) was left behind as the Lions won all but one of their final 13 games on the way to their 6th Grey Cup victory. The 34-23 victory over Winnipeg in a 10th appearance was accomplished in newly rebuilt B.C. Place Stadium before 54,313 fans. The win at home in the Grey Cup was the second time for the club and first in front of their own fans since 1994. Travis Lulay was named the game’s MOP after capturing the regular season Gibson’s Finest award earlier in the week. Andrew Harris was named the Most Outstanding Canadian in a year where he became the starting running back. Paul McCallum had a stellar season, setting CFL records for FG percentage (94.3%) and consecutive makes with 30. He won the league Most Outstanding Special Teams Award and joined eight others on the CFL All-Star Team. Geroy Simon moved into the #2 spot among all-time CFL receivers at 15,087 yards. Attendance jumped to 267,525 with the return to B.C. Place.

2012- In 2012, Mike Benevides took over for Wally Buono as head coach and led the Lions to their best record since 2007 at 13-5 tying the league record for wins by a first year head man. The Lions started slowly at 2-2 but then ran off 12 wins in the final 15 regular season games to capture first place for the 13th time in team history. The club just missed out on a second straight Grey Cup appearance with a 34-29 loss to Calgary at B.C. Place in the West Final, their eighth Finals berth in the last nine years. Ten players made the Division All-Star including QB Travis Lulay for the second straight time and Korey Banks for his eighth in a row. Team Geroy Simon moved into the #1 spot among all-time CFL receivers at 15,787 yards despite missing five games. Andrew Harris became just the second Canadian to ever lead the CFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,830 and made the CFL All-Star Team.

2013- In the club’s 60th season, the Lions made a strong start, posting a record of 5-2 over the first seven games. They increased that to 9-4 creating a battle down the stretch with Calgary and Saskatchewan. BC ended up even with the Riders at 11-7 but in third on a tie-breaker necessitating a trip to Regina for the West Semi-Final where they dropped a 29-25 decision. The playoff spot extended the current, active run to 17 consecutive seasons – the third-longest streak in CFL history. Ryan Phillips, Jovan Olafioye and Adam Bighill were named to the CFL and West Division All-Star teams while Solomon Elimimian, in his return to the club, rookie Cord Parks and veteran Dante marsh earned Western berths. Travis Lulay led the club in passing with 2,841 yards but missed 7 starts due to a shoulder injury. Andrew Harris again led the Lions in rushing with 998 yards (#3 in the CFL) and in yards from scrimmage with 1,511.

2014- BC entered their 7th decade of Canadian football under third-year coach Mike Benevides and started slowly at 0-2. The club then ran off five wins in seven games to reach 5-3. The Lions eventually finished up at 9-9 and were able to extend their playoff streak to 18 consecutive seasons – still the third longest streak in CFL history behind Montreal’s active run of 19 years. In fact, the Alouettes were the Lions’ playoff opponent by virtue of the cross-over as they traveled East for the Semi-Final at Molson Stadium. A 50-17 loss ended a season in which starting QB Travis Lulay started only one game. The BC defence was the highlight with several notable achievements and led by the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player and Defensive Player, all-star Solomon Elimimian. He set all-time CFL records for single-season defensive and total tackles with 143 and 151 respectively. Defensive partner Adam Bighill was named to the West Division’s all-star defence, while on offence Jovan Olafioye made it five straight all-star campaigns. Kicker Paul McCallum was named an all-star and eclipsed the career 3,000 point mark becoming the second player to ever reach that milestone and moved up to #2 all-time at 3,022 career points.

2015- The club took another step backward in 2015 as their record fell to 7-11 under first-year head coach Jeff Tedford. Despite this dip, the squad managed to extend its streak to 19 consecutive years in the playoffs before falling to Calgary 35-9 in the Western Semi-Final. Injuries to key players contributed greatly to the team’s struggles as quarterbacks Travis Lulay and John Beck both missed extended periods of time while linebacker Solomon Elimimian saw his season come to an end in August due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. CFL tackles leader Adam Bighill picked up the slack on route to winning CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player. Following Tedford’s resignation, CFL all-time wins leader Wally Buono announced he would return to the sidelines as head coach in 2016.

2016– A resurgent year for the Lions as Buono’s return to the sidelines and young quarterback Jonathon Jennings helped pave the way for a 12-6 record and second-place finish in the Western Division. Jennings’ 5,226 passing yards was the third-highest total in club history while the running back tandem of Anthony Allen and Jeremiah Johnson led the CFL with 2,082 rushing yards. Receivers Emmanuel Arceneaux and Bryan Burnham earned Western Division All-Star nods along with offensive lineman Jovan Olafioye who was honoured for the seventh straight season. Solomon Elimimian made a triumphant return from injury to earn a second CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player award after leading the league with 129 tackles. Adam Bighill also eclipsed the century mark, making it the first time in CFL history two teammates both recorded over 100 tackles in a single-season. Jennings and company came back to defeat Winnipeg 32-31 in a thrilling Western Semi-Final at BC Place before falling to Calgary 42-15 in the Western Final.

2017– A season of high expectations proved to be a disappointment as the Lions finished 7-11 and saw their CFL-best playoff streak come to an end after 20 seasons. Quarterbacks Jonathon Jennings and Travis Lulay were both bit by the injury bug for different stretches of the season before the squad ultimately dropped nine of its final ten games after a promising start. Bright spots included Bryan Burnham, Solomon Elimimian and rookie kicker Ty Long earning CFL All-Star selections. Elimimian’s 144 defensive tackles set yet another all-time league record in the process. Following the season, Wally Buono handed general manager duties to former Edmonton boss Ed Hervey while announcing the 2018 campaign would be his final season as head coach.

2018– General Manager Ed Hervey quickly put his stamp on the team with key additions that included All-Star defensive end Odell Willis and blindside blocker Joel Figueroa to help shore up the offensive line. The new-look Lions would rally after a 3-6 start, winning six of their next seven contests before a pair of defeats dropped them into fourth in the West and an East Division crossover spot for the playoffs. The season ended with a thud as the Lions fell 48-8 at Hamilton in the Division Semi-Final. Despite the rollercoaster year, five Lion players earned CFL All-Star selections including kicker Ty Long who was the Western Division nominee for Most Outstanding Special Teams Player. In December, Hervey appointed Calgary defensive coordinator Devone Claybrooks as the 26th head coach in franchise history.

2019- The Lions open free agency with a bang with the addition of quarterback and 2017 CFL Most Outstanding player Mike Reilly and some other key playmakers including running back John White and wide receivers Lemar Durant and Duron Carter. Despite the infusion of talent, the team would struggle to a 5-13 record and missed the playoffs for a second time in three seasons. Bright spots included Bryan Burnham moving into tenth all-time on the club’s receiving yards list and becoming just the second Lion after Geroy Simon to record four straight seasons of 1,000 or more yards. Reilly surpassed the 30,000-yard passing mark for his career while Willis registered his 100th career sack in a September 21 victory in Ottawa. Both Burnham and kicker Sergio Castillo earned Western Division All-Star nods. Claybrooks would be relieved of his duties as head coach in November while Rick Campbell was tabbed as the 27th head coach in Lions history on December 2.

2021- Following Ed Hervey’s resignation in October 2020, long-time Lions executive Neil McEvoy and head coach Rick Campbell were named co-general managers ahead of the 2021 campaign. With the announcement in April 2021 that the Canadian Football League had approved a return to play plan, the Lions hit the field in Kamloops for training camp on July 10 in preparation for a 14-game regular season. On August 18, a new era became official as well-known Vancouver businessman and long-time Lions supporter Amar Doman was announced as new team owner after completing his purchase from the estate of David Braley. Following a 4-2 start, the squad struggled in the second half of the season and would finish 5-9, missing the playoffs for a third time in four seasons. Bryan Burnham passes Mike Trevathan into fifth on the club’s all-time receiving list while on defence, Bo Lokombo collected CFL Most Outstanding Canadian and Jordan Williams won CFL Most Outstanding Rookie.

2022- Rick Campbell names Nathan Rourke as the club’s starting quarterback following the retirement of Michael Reilly in January. Campbell also makes a couple of significant additions to the coaching staff with former Alouettes star pass rusher John Bowman taking over the defensive line with defensive assistant Tanya Henderson coming on board as the first full-time female coach in CFL history. Rourke takes the CFL by storm, becoming only the third quarterback in history to win CFL Most Outstanding Canadian after throwing for 3,349 yards and 25 touchdowns despite missing eight games due to a foot injury. Rourke also breaks the single-game Canadian passing record in a Wk #3 win over Toronto (436 yards) and tops it 477 and 488-yard performances later on. The club acquired QB Vernon Adams Jr. in a trade with Montreal following Rourke’s injury finishing with a 12-6 record and 2nd in the West. Rourke returns for the 30-16 Western Semi-Final win over Calgary – the club’s first home playoff game since 2016. The Lions fall 28-20 at Winnipeg in the 2022 Western Final.

2023- Nathan Rourke signs with the Jacksonville Jaguars in January making Vernon Adams Jr. the club’s new starting quarterback. Adams agrees to an extension prior to the season, keeping him in black and orange through the 2024 campaign. Former Lions head coach Mike Benevides returns to the team as special teams coordinator, replacing the departed Don Yankowsky. Adams leads the CFL 4,769 passing yards to go along with 33 touchdown strikes while on defence Mathieu Betts sets a single-season Canadian record with 18 sacks. His total broke the mark set by BC Lions legend Brent Johnson in 2005 and went on to win CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player. The Lions once again finish 12-6 and second in the West before dismantling Calgary 41-30 in the Western Semi-Final at BC Place. Adams’ 413 passing yards sets a new franchise playoff record previously held by Roy Dewalt (375 yards). The Lions fall 24-13 in Winnipeg in the Western Final for a second straight season.

2024– In the community, the 2024 year started strongly with the club set to host Touchdown Pacific in Victoria. On March 28, the historical matchup against the Ottawa REDBLACKS sold out in less than one hour for the August 31 clash that saw the Lions prevail 38-12 in what was the culmination of a thrilling three-day festival that drew fans from across the nation. The club’s 70th season saw the return of quarterback Nathan Rourke on August 13 following his NFL stint. Two weeks later, 2023 Most Outstanding Defensive Player Mathieu Betts returned to the team following a training camp appearance with the Detroit Lions. Rourke appeared in nine games in place of Vernon Adams Jr. and was named Pro Football Focus Offensive Player of the Week following a September 6 win at Montreal. Justin McInnis emerged as the CFL’s leading receiver with a career-best 1,469 yards and seven touchdowns on 92 receptions. McInnis was the Lions’ nominee for Most Outstanding Player along with earning West Division and league All-CFL honours. Kicker Sean Whyte continued to demonstrate that age is just a number as he once again made 50 of 53 field goal attempts for a CFL-best 94.3 percentage. Whyte was the West Division finalist for Most Outstanding Special Teams Player plus West Division and league All-CFL. After an up-and-down regular season that saw them finish third in the West at 9-9, the Lions fell 28-19 at Saskatchewan in the Western Semi-Final. Off the field, Lions’ Senior Manager of Communications Matt Baker and club historian Steve Daniel undertook a long-overdue project to fully redevelop our historical data and create greater fan access to the club’s history and all-time records. Daniel was nominated for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame at the 111th Grey Cup. Hosted by Vancouver for a 17th time, the Grey Cup festival drew rave reviews in the downtown core with a festival that featured conert performances, two zip lines plus the entire menu of team parties under one roof at a rocking Vancouver Convention Centre. On November 20, the Lions relieved head coach Rick Campbell of his duties and elevated Neil McEvoy to Vice-President of Football Operations and Ryan Rigmaiden as the club’s 16th General Manager. On December 3, former Winnipeg offensive co-ordinator Buck Pierce was named as the club’s 28th head coach.

2025- 2025 marked an exciting turnaround campaign for the BC Lions, one that resulted in a second-place finish in the West Division following a six-game winning streak to end the regular season. Quarterback Nathan Rourke and head coach Buck Pierce provided an exciting combination for a squad that thrived itself on offence. The result was a pro football record of 8.04 yards per play and several more impressive accolades. With 5,290 passing yards, Rourke not only shattered Russ Jackson’s single-season Canadian record that stood since 1969, but he also moved ahead of Pierce, Casey Printers, Vernon Adams Jr.and Doug Flutie into eighth on the club’s all-time passing list with 11,174 yards. Keon Hatcher enjoyed a career-year with a CFL-leading 1,688 receiving yards, while Mathieu Betts led the CFL with 15 sacks on a defence that improve mightily to fuel the late-season surge. The ageless Sean Whyte once again led the CFL with a career-best 95.1 field goal percentage (39/41) and kicked three walk-off winers, including a 43-yarder to seal a thrilling 33-30 win over Calgary in the Western Semi-Final at Save-On-Foods Field at BC Place. In a tense contest outside in the frigid temperatures of Mosaic Stadium, the Lions dropped a 24-21 decision at Saskatchewan in the Western Final. Despite falling just short of a Grey Cup appearance, there was some hardware to end the campaign. Rourke became just the second Canadian quarterback after Jackson to win CFL Most Outstanding Player and collected another Most Outstanding Canadian honour. Betts took home his second Most Outstanding Defensive Player in three seasons, becoming the first Canadian to win the award on multiple occasions. Rourke, Betts, Hatcher, Justin McInnis and Jarell Broxton were named to the All-CFL team, while Whyte earned a third consecutive West Division-All CFL nod. The Lions further cemented themselves as a province-wide institution by announcing that Touchdown Kelowna takes us to the Okanagan for our first two home games of 2026. For a second straight year, the Lions announced it will play its pre-season game on Vancouver Island at Langford’s Starlight Stadium.

KEY MOMENTS ON THE FIELD – INSIDE THE CFL RECORD BOOK

Most Points, 4th Quarter 35 Nov 8/59 BC at Saskatchewan CFL All-Time Record (tied)

Fastest Offensive TD from start 0:18 Jul 31/74 BC vs Winnipeg 86-yard TD pass Moorhead to Young

Most Passing yards, game 601 Aug 12/93 BC vs Toronto Eclipsed in ’94, still ranks #2 all-time

Highest Avg. Yds per Play 8.04 In 2025 7,743 yds / 963 Off. Plays CFL All-Time Record across 75 seasons

Individual Game / Season / Career:

Longest rush from scrimmage 109 Oct 17/64 Willie Fleming Unbreakable record (at Edmonton)

Longest pass completion 109 Aug 21/02 Damon Allen Damon Allen to Alfred Jackson (vs Montreal)

Most yards receiving, career 15,192 Jun 29/12 Geroy Simon Surpassed Milt Stegall (15,153); final total 16,352 yds

Highest single game Completion % 91.9% Aug 6/22 Nathan Rourke Completed 34 of 37 pass attempts

Passing yards, single season 6,619 Nov 2/91 Doug Flutie Passed K. Austin on final day of 1991 (406 yds v Ham)

Yards per rushing attempt 9.7 1963 Willie Fleming 1,234 yards on 127 attempts

Most points, career 3,991 1976-2000 Lui Passaglia #1 all-time pro record

Most games, career 408 1976-2000 Lui Passaglia #1 all-time pro record