CFL & NFL

B.C. Lions to start Kaidon Salter at quarterback in season finale

The Lions have secured second place and a home playoff game, allowing them to rest their star quarterback.

Marc-André Roy · Football Writer
October 21, 2026 · More from this writer

SURREY · The B.C. Lions will start Kaidon Salter at quarterback for their regular-season finale against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday. Head coach Buck Pierce said he is giving regular starter Nathan Rourke the night off. The Lions have already locked up second place in the CFL's West Division and the right to host the divisional semifinal on Oct. 31. Winnipeg needs a victory to secure a post-season berth.

Pierce said the decision was made with the team's situation in mind. "You're always thinking team first in the situation that you're in," Pierce said after practice on Tuesday. "And we feel confident with the guys, and we feel good about where we're at." Rourke is the CFL's reigning outstanding player and outstanding Canadian. He has thrown for 4,614 yards this season with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, despite missing two games with a shoulder injury. He has also rushed for 356 yards and three touchdowns.

Salter stepped in for the injured Rourke earlier this season and led the Lions to a 35-19 road victory in Winnipeg on July 30. The 23-year-old American said that experience taught him valuable lessons. "Just being able to take my time and go through my reads, and whenever something wasn't there, I was able to use my legs," Salter said. He noted the Blue Bombers have a big and physical defence that plays hard to the end. "So just knowing that they have a very big and physical defence, they're going to come out and they're going to fight and they're going to play hard," Salter said. "They're a team that plays to the end, so we just got to go out there and do the same."

Salter also came in for Rourke in the second half of B.C.'s 32-13 loss to the Calgary Stampeders last Saturday. In his first CFL campaign, Salter has accumulated 330 passing yards with one touchdown and one interception. He could share snaps with another quarterback on Friday. The Lions signed former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun to the practice roster on Sept. 21.

Oladokun, a 29-year-old American, has yet to appear in a game but said he is adjusting to the Canadian game. "It's a lot of fun," Oladokun said on Tuesday. "I'm still getting caught up on some of the clock stuff because that's a little new. But there's just so much space out there." He described the quarterback's role on the team as similar to a point guard in basketball. "And when you have great playmakers like we do, the quarterbacks … are really just like a point guard. You're just trying to dish the ball out to your playmakers and let them go be special guys. So that's been the thing that's stuck out the most being up here." The Lions and Blue Bombers play Friday night in Winnipeg.

With files from The Canadian Press, Sportsnet and Yahoo News