New B.C. Lions linebacker Darnell Sankey has made his intentions clear: he believes the team is ready to win a championship. Speaking after a practice earlier this week, Sankey explained why he signed with the Lions as a free agent in December.
"I like the hunger here. I feel like these guys are ready to win a championship and I don't say that lightly," Sankey said. "This organization has been good, but, for that lack of a better term, it hasn't been good enough, because we haven't won (a title). We've been great, but we haven't been exceptional. We need to be exceptional. That is the goal."
The Lions aim for exceptionality as they open the 2026 CFL regular season on Saturday with a visit to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Last season, under general manager Ryan Rigmaiden and head coach Buck Pierce, the Lions won seven straight games before falling 24-21 to the Roughriders in the Western Final.
B.C. holds the longest active Grey Cup game appearance drought in the league, having not reached the championship since 2011, when they defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 34-23 at B.C. Place. Only the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who last won in 1999, have a longer current championship drought, though they have lost in the final four times since 2013.
Key Numbers to Watch
Here are some trends and statistics to track for the Lions this season:
51: Days between the start of the CFL season and the Lions' first home game at B.C. Place. Due to the World Cup in Vancouver, the Lions will play their first seven weeks elsewhere, including two games at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna. Their first home game is July 25 against the Toronto Argonauts.
The Apple Bowl's normal capacity is 2,254, but the Lions plan to add temporary seating to reach 18,000 or even 20,000 for their June 27 game against the Calgary Stampeders and July 4 game against the Edmonton Elks. President Duane Vienneau has experience organizing neutral-site events, having done so for both the league and the Lions previously.
5,290: Yards Nathan Rourke passed for last season, a record for a Canadian quarterback in the CFL. Rourke, 28, won the league's Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian honours. He also threw for 31 touchdowns and ran for 10 more. Second-year safety Jackson Findlay praised Rourke's leadership: "He's always putting in the extra work. He's always in the weight room, always doing extra sprints. His commitment to winning that Grey Cup is really motivating all of us."
13: Combined days Sankey (eight) and defensive lineman Casey Sayles (five) were out of work before signing with the Lions. The Montreal Alouettes released Sankey, a two-time East Division all-star, on Dec. 11 due to roster ratio changes. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats released Sayles, a 2025 East all-star, on Jan. 8 to create salary cap space. Rigmaiden quickly signed both before free agency opened Feb. 10.
2: Times Findlay has had an espresso martini out of the Stanley Cup. Findlay, from North Vancouver, is close with Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart, who won the Cup in 2024 and 2025. Findlay joined Reinhart's Cup celebrations both years. "I owe him a couple of drinks out of the Grey Cup. That's the goal this year," Findlay said.
The Lions open their season Saturday against the Roughriders, with hopes of ending their Grey Cup drought.
