3 mind-blowing Nathan Rourke stats

| American Football | 08/14/2024

Nathan Rourke took the CFL by storm the last time he wore the Orange and Black.

The National pivot put up numbers that caught the eyes of football minds from Vancouver to Jacksonville.

After a two-year NFL journey, Rourke is back where it all started in an attempt to recapture the magic that propelled him to the Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 2022.

CFL.ca takes you through some of the mind-blowing numbers that the quarterback has put up so far in his young career.

90.5 Passing Grade (2022)

Rourke had the top passing grade of 2022 according to Pro Football Focus and it wasn’t particularly close. The Lions quarterback finished over five points higher than second place Zach Collaros (85.2) while also registering a 93.7 rushing grade.

His passing grade is a product of 21 big-time throws to only 13 turnover-worthy plays. Rourke also registered an 81.8 adjusted completion percentage with a 10.1 average depth of target, showcasing his ability to be aggressive while limiting mistakes.

334.9 yards per game (2022)

Speaking of being aggressive, the Victoria, B.C., native appeared in 10 games and threw for 3,349 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His 334.9 yards per game put him over 50 yards ahead of second place McLeod Bethel-Thompson (278.3 ypg) that season.

To put it in retrospect, Bo Levi Mitchell leads the league with 2,522 yards over nine games in 2024, good for an average of 280.2 yards per game.

6-502 Touchdowns/yards in a game

Rourke has put together plenty of unreal stat lines over his short time in the CFL. None more so than his Week 9 game against the Elks in 2022 where he finished with 502 yards (477 pashing, 25 rushing) and six touchdowns (five passing, one rushing) in a 46-14 win against the Double E.

With Rourke under centre, the Lions went for over 40 points four times in 2022, including a 59-15 win over Edmonton in Week 1 that the pivot completed 26 of 29 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns, adding seven rushes for 78 yards and two more majors on the ground.

Today's CFL is more than just our great game of football. It's fans sharing their excitement for what they see on the field, and what they experience off it. Stay up to date on all the non-stop action at CFL.ca.