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'Stakes are high, because I haven't been to a Grey Cup yet,' Adams said. 'So I'm hoping I can take it one play at a time, one practice at a time, one game at a time'
Published Oct 30, 2025 • Last updated 12 minutes ago • 6 minute read
Vernon Adams Jr. vs. BC Lions
Calgary Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. hands off the ball to Dedrick Mills against the BC Lions in CFL action at McMahon Stadium in Calgary on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Mike Drew/Postmedia
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Once upon a time, the two were teammates with the BC Lions.
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But the price became too steep for the West Coast club to keep both talents at the quarterback position.
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So one of them had to be moved.
Happily for the Calgary Stampeders, that’s what brought them Vernon Adams Jr. in the Canadian Football League off-season — a move that has helped kick them into gear in what has been a tremendous turnaround season.
And the Lions haven’t fared too shabby either, as that decision to favour Nathan Rourke over Adams has paid off handsomely for them on the 2025 campaign.
That brings us to the CFL West Division semifinal between the two QBs and the Grey Cup contenders, during which the focus is most certainly on the former backfield mates in B.C.
It’s a battle of 11-7 teams that’s piqued the interest of everybody in the CFL.
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“Yeah … whether it’s BC or anyone else, it means a lot — you know what I’m saying?” said Adams, when playing his former team in a do-or-die clash Saturday in BC Place (3:30 p.m., TSN, CHQR 770 AM/107.3 FM the Edge). “I know I spent some time there, but it’s all good, man. We know we’ve got to get this win — doesn’t matter who it’s against. So it means a lot … you know.
“You can’t look past this game,” added Adams. “BC is a good team who’s hot, who’s won (six) in a row, with a good defence and a good coach. So … yeah … we got to just go out there and play our best — bring our ‘A’ game.”
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[Defensive back Adrian Greene says the Stamps need “to play complementary defence, so that’s up front to our interior to the back end.”
Seven Stampeders saluted as CFL West Division all-stars](https://calgaryherald.com/sports/seven-stampeders-saluted-as-cfl-west-division-all-stars)
2. [Calgary Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., pictured during practice on Tuesday, says the offence must be better in the red zone during the West semifinal against the BC Lions on Saturday.
West semifinal for Stampeders: Calgary's CFL club hits road to play red-hot BC Lions](https://calgaryherald.com/sports/west-semifinal-for-calgary-stampeders-battle-of-former-qb-teammates-in-cfl-playoffs)
Tale of the tape
3. Vernon Adams Jr., Calgary Stampeders
QB — 5-foot-11, 190 lb., 32 years old (Pasadena, Calif.), 9th CFL season, NCAA’s Oregon Ducks
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2025 stats — Games played: 17; Completion: 65.3%; Yards passing: 4,247; TD: 23; INT: 14
Vs. Lions in 2025: Wins: 0; Passing yards: 428; TD: 2; INT: 5
Synopsis — Adams Jr. helped resurrect the Stamps this season with his talent, energy, mobility and leadership, putting the excitement back in a listless offence and getting the team out of the gate fast with a 5-1 start. Sure, there was a fall-off in production and a return to turnover issues — which have haunted him in the past — after Labour Day, but Adams is back healthy and has looked sharp again in leading the Red and White to three straight victories.
“I think (Vernon) has a unique leadership style,” Canadian QB Rourke told 3DownNation last month. “I guess unique might not be the right word, but he was very outspoken, and that kind of encouraged me to get out of my shell when it was my turn — especially this year — and just relate to the guys. I thought he always was just great for the locker room.”
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12. Nathan Rourke, BC Lions
QB — 6-foot-1, 209 lb., 27 years old (Victoria, B.C.), 4th CFL season, NCAA’s Ohio Bobcats
2025 stats — Games played: 18; Completion: 70.4%; Yards passing: 5,290; TD: 41; INT: 16
Vs. Stamps in 2025: Wins: 2; Passing yards: 745; TDs: 6 passing, 3 rushing; INT: 2
Synopsis — Rourke is the face of the CFL moving forward. In just four years, he’s proven himself to be a massive talent in the league, and this season has been his best by far. Even more important in the Lions’ charge to capture the Grey Cup is the 2022 CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian has found an even higher gear in the second half of the season, leading the Lions to six straight wins to wrap up the regular schedule and give them major momentum heading into the playoffs. Like Adams, Rourke can run, too.
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“Yeah … Nate’s balling — he’s having a hell of a year, especially his back-end of the season,” Adams said. “So … yeah … I’m just excited for the opportunity to go against him.”
Nathan Rourke vs. Calgary Stampeders
BC Lions Nathan Rourke spikes the ball after scoring a touchdown against the Calgary Stampeders in CFL action at McMahon Stadium in Calgary on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Mike Drew/Postmedia
How do the Stamps stop Rourke?
Stamps starting cornerback Adrian Greene knows all too well what Rourke brings to the field after having been a teammate of his last year and now having squared off against him this season.
“He’s a great quarterback,” Greene said. “You know … he makes great plays, gets the ball out fast and, at the end of the day, he’s one of those guys you’ve kind of always got to be on point for. You never know what you’re going to get in terms of him disguising his looks and stuff like that.
“But when the ball comes out, we’ve got to make plays.”
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Greene himself has made those, elevating his game this year to come away with a league-high six interceptions and recognition on the 2025 West Division all-CFL team.
In Rourke, however, Greene and the Stamps secondary face a quarterback who offers up arguably the most difficult challenge in all the CFL.
“It’s like that every play,” said Greene, when asked about facing Rourke and the Lions’ vaunted passing attack. “You’ve got to cover down, ultimately, to make a play on the ball. So Step 1, make your reads. Step 2, trust your scheme and your calls. And then once you get your chance to make a play, go make a play.”
Adrian Greene
Calgary Stampeders defensive back Adrian Greene was photographed during practice at McMahon Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. Brent Calver/Postmedia
That’s made even more difficult by two West all-CFL stars on the receiving end of Rourke’s throws.
Keon Hatcher hauled in a whopping 102 passes for 1,688 yards — both league highs. And Justin McInnis finished third in the CFL in receiving yards — with 1,256 — on 76 catches during the regular season.
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“For sure, we spent a lot of time together,” Greene said. “Hatcher’s got good speed, good size, good change of direction … and he’s a dog. He’s gonna compete all the time, so we’ve gotta contain that, and then get to it.”
“Honestly, they’ve got good talent, and it starts with the quarterback,” added Dickenson, of Rourke. “He’s had a great year, and everyone knows that he’s playing at such a high level. And we did force them into a couple mistakes in the second half of the last game against them, and we’re gonna have to keep trying to do that. But they’ve had 250 yards rushing on us one game. They’ve got a lot of weapons.
“We’ve got to tackle and play as a group of 12 defensively and raise some havoc.”
Nathan Rourke vs. Calgary Stampeders
B.C. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke (12) gets away from Calgary Stampeders’ Jaydon Grant (25), as he loses his helmet, during the second half of a CFL game in Vancouver, on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press
Can the Stamps win with Adams?
They sure can.
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Adams’ numbers tell us it’s been the third-best campaign of his nine-year CFL career.
But hoisting the Grey Cup — something that has eluded Adams — would make it his favourite season by far.
And that can happen with Adams on a roll and the team around him playing like it did during its 11 wins of the campaign.
“Stakes are high, because I haven’t been to a Grey Cup yet,” Adams said. “So I’m hoping I can take it one play at a time, one practice at a time, one game at a time …
“It matters a lot, man,” continued Adams, when eyeing up a CFL championship. “I think we all play to become champions … you know. So it really does matter.
“But I can only control what I can control and be the best version of me and be in the make-plays mode — don’t do too much, try to own the ball and move the ball.
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“Be calm, relaxed and prepared.”
Vernon Adams Jr. vs. BC Lions
Calgary Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. hands off the ball to Dedrick Mills against the BC Lions in CFL action at McMahon Stadium in Calgary on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Mike Drew/Postmedia
When he is, Adams is undoubtedly among the top QBs in the league.
The Lions know it, too, and won’t be taking the Stamps lightly under Adams’ leadership — or motivation — to win one over on the Lions in crunch time.
“I just really admired the way (Adams) handled the whole situation, because he was on maybe the wrong end of what happened last year,” Rourke told 3DownNation’s JC Abbott last month. “He just was just an incredible teammate, although I’m sure he was probably really upset about the situation and maybe even cursing at me under his breath. He was just the best guy to be around. Never let it affect him — his attitude, how he brought it to the field every single day — and I just really admired him for that.
“Super happy for him. Super happy that he’s found a home there in Calgary.”
tsaelhof@postmedia.com
X: @ToddSaelhofPM
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