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B.C. Lions to rest Nathan Rourke and start Kaidon Salter against Winnipeg
The Lions have secured second place in the CFL West and home field for the Oct. 31 divisional semifinal. Winnipeg needs a win Friday to clinch a post-season berth.
SURREY — The B.C. Lions will start Kaidon Salter at quarterback for Friday’s regular-season finale against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Head coach Buck Pierce said he is giving regular starter Nathan Rourke the night off. After Tuesday’s practice, Pierce said the team has to come first in the situation and that he feels confident in the players and where the team stands.
B.C. is 10-7 and has secured second place in the CFL West Division, along with the right to host the divisional semifinal on Oct. 31. Winnipeg, at 8-9, needs a victory to secure a post-season berth.
Rourke, the CFL’s reigning outstanding player and outstanding Canadian, has thrown for 4,614 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions this season. He also has 356 rushing yards and three touchdowns, despite missing two games with a shoulder injury.
Salter filled in for the injured Rourke on July 30 and led the Lions to a 35-19 road win in Winnipeg. Salter said the experience taught him to take his time and work through his reads, using his legs when a pass was not available. He said Winnipeg has a big, physical defence that fights hard to the end, and that the Lions must do the same.
The 23-year-old American also replaced Rourke in the second half of B.C.’s 32-13 loss to the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday. In his first CFL season, Salter has 330 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Salter could share snaps Friday with the Lions’ latest quarterback addition. B.C. signed former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun to its practice roster on Sept. 21. The 29-year-old American has not played in a game, but said he has learned a lot about the CFL in recent weeks.
Oladokun said Tuesday that it has been fun, though he is still getting used to some of the clock rules. He said there is a lot of space on the field and that, with strong playmakers, quarterbacks are like point guards: their job is to get the ball to their playmakers and let them do something special.
The Canadian Press report by Gemma Karstens-Smith was first published Oct. 20, 2026.