B.C. Lions quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. passes during the first half of the CFL western semifinal football game against the Calgary Stampeders, in Vancouver, on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. The B.C. Lions signed starter Adams Jr. to a contract extension Wednesday that will keep him with the CFL club through the 2026 season. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
VANCOUVER – The B.C. Lions signed starter Vernon Adams Jr. to a contract extension Wednesday that will keep him with the CFL club through the 2026 season.
Adams, 31, was slated to become a free agent following the 2024 campaign.
The five-foot-11, 200-pound Adams completed 333-of-488 passes (68.2 per cent) for a CFL-best 4,769 and 31 TDs (second only to Winnipeg’s Zach Collaros, who had 33). He won 11-of-16 starts in guiding B.C. (12-6) to second in the West Division behind the Blue Bombers (14-4).
After dispatching Calgary 41-30 in the West semifinal, the Lions’ season ended with a 24-13 loss to Winnipeg in the conference final.
Adams recorded career highs in passes attempted, completions, passing yards, TDs and interceptions (18) last season. He also recorded a CFL-best 10 games of 300 or more passing yards while rushing 48 times for 324 yards (6.8-yard average) and a touchdown.
In the playoffs, Adams threw for a club-record 413 yards and two TDs against Calgary while rushing for three touchdowns to tie another franchise post-season mark.
Adams, a native of Inglewood, Calif., enters his third season with B.C. and eighth in the CFL. Adams, a 2019 league all-star, has also spent time with the Montreal Alouettes (2016-17, 2018-19, 2021-22), Saskatchewan Roughriders (2017) and Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2018).
Adams has appeared in 99 career regular-season games, completing 956-of-1,488 passes (64.2 per cent) for 13,261 yards with 80 TDs and 45 interceptions. He has also rushed 265 times for 1,431 yards (5.4-yard average) and 21 touchdowns.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 21, 2024.
