Nathan Rourke, a star quarterback for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, is trying out for a top NFL club.
According to TSN’s Farhan Lalji, Rourke is doing a tryout today for the Cincinnati Bengals. Rourke played college football at Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kansas before transferring to the Ohio Bobcats’ program, where he played from 2017 to 2019.
Rourke had a breakout for the Lions in 2022, tossing 3,349 passing yards and 25 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. Rourke was named the winner of the CFL Most Outstanding Canadian for the 2022 season.
It’s not uncommon for top CFL quarterbacks to land tryouts from NFL teams. Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon played with Edmonton’s CFL team from 1978 to ’83 before making the jump to the NFL in 1984, where he started out with the Houston Oilers.
Rourke most certainly wouldn’t replace superstar Joe Burrow as the Bengals main starter. He’d likely be the third-stringer if he landed a contract with the team, but of course, the payday and opportunity to qualify for the NFL’s pension is exciting enough.
