Every team’s goal is to win a Grey Cup, and BC Lions have come up just short of reaching that goal time and time again.
The Lions have failed to get back to the big dance since winning it all in 2011, going 0-5 in the West Final and 4-10 overall in the postseason since, including last season’s heartbreaking loss to the eventual Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Will this be the year they finally break through? Let’s dive in.
Offence
What got BC so close to the big game in 2025 was their offence, and it was a historic one led by a historic player in Nathan Rourke.
The team’s 8.04 yards per play last season were the highest in CFL history, while the team also averaged an outstanding 430.2 net yards per game, almost 50 more than the second-place Roughriders.
Victoria, B.C. native Rourke set records himself, posting the most passing yards (5,290), completions (352), and 300-yard plus games (12) by a Canadian pivot in a single season, claiming the Most Outstanding Player and Canadian awards in the process.
Rourke’s partnership with first-year head coach and offensive coordinator Buck Pierce grew as the year went on, as from Week 5 onward the pair were in lockstep.
Now the unit has continuity heading into 2026, including in the weapons around Rourke, especially in star receiving duo in 2025 All-CFL selections Keon Hatcher Sr. and Canadian Justin McInnis.
Hatcher had a very strong season, as the 31-year-old led the league in receptions (102) and receiving yards with 1,688. That total was the best mark in nearly a decade, coming close to Adarius Bowman’s 1,761 yards for the then-Edmonton Eskimos in 2016.
Hatcher’s year somehow overshadowed McInnis’ season, who led all National wideouts in yards (1,256) and touchdowns (seven). Between those two, Canadians Jevon Cottoy and draft picks in Nate DeMontagnac and Nick Cenacle, as well as Americans Stanley Berryhill and Seven McGhee, it’s a loaded group.
The offence also features a star tailback, as James Butler will look to have another all-star-calibre season after bouncing back in 2025. The 31-year-old averaged career highs in rushing yards (1,213), touchdowns (11), and yards per carry (5.3) last season after an injury riddled 2024, and rounds out arguably the best group of skill position players north of the border.
The questions come up front on the offensive line. While it’s largely the same group from a year ago, the team lost arguably the best pass protector in the CFL in free agency in Jarell Broxton, forcing a shuffle.
The movement starts with 2025’s starting left guard Kory Woodruff kicking out to Broxton’s vacated left tackle spot. The 26-year-old was great on the inside last season, posting the second best pressure rate allowed among interior lineman (2.7). 2023 Most Outstanding Lineman Dejon Allen will man the right tackle spot after missing most of 2025 with a torn bicep, while Isiah Cage and Joshua Coker - who is recovering from an injury but is a phenomenal pass blocker – add depth.
On the interior, 25-year-old Brandon Yates steps into a starting role after logging just 58 snaps last season. Veteran Canadian Michael Couture remains at centre after only logging one full season over the past five, while Chris Schleuger slots in at guard after logging most of his snaps at tackle last season.
Overall, it was an offence that was explosive in 2025, putting up the most big plays by far (63), while also being elite on second down, converting at the highest rate (52.6 per cent).
Having Rourke and the skill-position players that the Lions do is great and was obviously a big reason for the team’s success, but the offensive line was a big part too after allowing the fewest sacks (20) in 2025 after allowing the most as a unit in 2024 (43). If the pass protectors regress back to 2024’s numbers, it will be interesting to see how the offence performs overall.
Defence
The defence was a mixed bag last season, as the collective group struggled for the first two-thirds of the season, resulting in a slow start to the season. However, Mike Benevies’ unit was fantastic over the final six weeks of the regular season after making some additions.
The defence only allowed 23.5 points (allowed 29.8 through the first 12 games) and 341.0 net offence per game (allowed 356.2 through the first 12 games), which were some of the lowest totals in the league over that stretch as the team went undefeated (6-0).
The unit has only gotten better, as they added two veteran leaders with multiple division All-CFL nods in defensive tackle Casey Sayles and middle linebacker Darnell Sankey. They join a front seven that is where this unit makes its hay, especially along a line that features multiple disruptors.
It starts with the two-time and reigning Most Outstanding Defensive Player Mathieu Betts, who led the CFL in sacks (15), was second in pressures (70), fourth in pressure rate (13.4), and second in tackles amongst linemen (42) in 2025.
Nose tackle Jonah Tavai was unleashed last year and was fantastic, as the 25-year-old racked up 26 tackles and five sacks from the interior (fifth among tackles), while also posting a 10.5 per cent pressure rate (second among tackles).
When you add late-season addition Levi Bell on the other edge, who performed well, this front can cause a lot of issues for opposing offences. In 2025, the defence led in sacks (45), forced fumbles (17), and was third in tackles for loss (34).
In the linebacking core, Sankey will be surrounded by returners from last season in Canadian Ben Hladik at will linebacker and the hard-hitting Deontai Williams at nickel.
The 27-year-old Hladik has been a consistent producer on both defence and on special teams over the past four seasons in BC, while Williams flies around the strong-side of the field in coverage and while rushing the passer, as he’s one of the best nickels north of the border at getting to the quarterback.
In the secondary, four out of five starters from last year’s final return, with the lone departee being the most impactful in Robert Carter Jr., who opted to take his talents south of the border. Replacing him will be former Ottawa Redblack C.J. Coldon, who logged nearly 1,000 snaps in the nation’s capital and is one of the best run supporters from the position.
The defence as a whole was good at not allowing big plays, only giving up 42 (third-fewest), but 31 of those came through the air, as BC allowed the second-most big-time completions. The team was also bad on second down, primarily a passing down, allowing the second-best conversion rate against (49.6).
Multiple-time All-CFL member Garry Peters mans his longtime boundary corner spot, while Ronald Kent Jr. and veteran T.J. Lee – who aided in the defence’s late turnaround with his addition last season – start at halfback.
At safety, Canadian second-year Jackson Findlay will look to build on his tremendous run of play to close the season. He made four interceptions and 26 tackles after stepping in for the injured Cristophe Beaulieu, who was also fantastic in his second season before injuring his knee in September.
The defence will look to carry over the improved play that they had to close out the season, and they may need it as it would be unfair to expect the offence to be historic once again to make up for it.
The team is looking to finally break through and make a Grey Cup for the first time in a decade and a half, and it feels like their time is coming, especially with the reigning MOP slinging the rock.
If they can get things right around Rourke, particularly along the offensive line and defensively, then this is a team that can go all the way in 2026.
