Nathan Rourke shined at the CFL awards ceremony, with the West Division dominating the accolades on Thursday night. The B.C. Lions quarterback, Nathan Rourke, was honored with the George Reed Trophy for being the CFL’s outstanding player, as well as being recognized as the top Canadian player at Club Regent Casino.
Rourke made history by becoming one of the few players to win both awards in the same year, joining the ranks of Brady Oliveira, Jon Cornish, Russ Jackson, and Tony Gabriel. Expressing his gratitude, Rourke acknowledged the legendary status of these players and the honor of continuing their legacy.
Trey Vaval from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers also had a successful night, receiving two awards for top rookie and special-teams player. Other individual winners included Mathieu Betts from B.C. for defensive player and Jermarcus Hardrick from the Saskatchewan Roughriders for outstanding lineman.
The awards were determined through voting by the Football Reporters of Canada and all nine CFL head coaches, with a total of 53 ballots cast. Additionally, Canadian player Logan Ferland from the Saskatchewan Roughriders received the Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Trophy, while Andrew Peirson of the B.C. Lions claimed the Tom Pate Memorial Award for sportsmanship and community contributions.
During the season, Rourke, hailing from Victoria, achieved career-highs in various statistics, leading the Lions in offensive points, net yards, and passing averages. Despite the team’s success, their season ended with a loss to Saskatchewan following a thrilling victory over Calgary in the Western semifinal.
Reflecting on the awards, Rourke expressed his desire to have played in the Grey Cup, stating that he would trade the accolades in a heartbeat for that opportunity. Looking ahead, he emphasized the importance of teamwork and building upon their successes.
The upcoming Grey Cup will feature Saskatchewan facing off against the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday.