Tag: Nathan Rourke

Former Patriots QB reportedly signs with CFL team

A former Patriots quarterback is joining the CFL

Former New England Patriots quarterback Nathan Rourke reportedly signed with the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) BC Lions, per KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson.

This could be considered a homecoming of sorts for Rourke, a British Columbia native who played for the BC Lions from 2021-2022. He recorded 4,035 passing yards and 28 touchdowns in two seasons with the team and even won the CFL Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 2022.

It’s an award given to the best Canadian player in the CFL.

Rourke spent the 2023 season with both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Patriots. He was claimed off waivers by the Patriots in December last year and released by the organization in May 2024.

He most recently signed with the Atlanta Falcons in August. He played in one preseason game with the team before being released on August 11.

The CFL is currently in Week 12 of their regular season, which means Rourke will have to hit the ground running. That shouldn’t be an issue for a young player who has dealt with more change than most.

Ex-Giants QB Nathan Rourke signs with Falcons

Former New York Giants quarterback Nathan Rourke was signed by the Atlanta Falcons this week.

The New York Giants were reminded how quickly fortunes can turn again on Thursday night when quarterback Drew Lock was knocked from the game with a hip injury in the first quarter and did not return.

Head coach Brian Daboll said after the game that Lock was “sore” but did not seem concerned.

“We’ll find out (on Friday) but I don’t foresee it being a long time,” Daboll said.

That left the Giants with just one quarterback, Tommy DeVito, for the remainder of the game since Daniel Jones was unavailable.

General manager Joe Schoen insisted on the air that Lock could have re-entered the game if needed but the fact remains that three quarterbacks may not be enough in preseason.

The Giants released their fourth quarterback, Nathan Rourke, on July 28. If they had designs on signing him back, it’s too late. Rourke was scooped up by the Atlanta Falcons this week.

DeVito played the remainder of the game and led the Giants on two scoring drives. Lock looked much like Daniel Jones did last season — confused, under pressure, and running for his personal safety. He was injured when a Lions defender hit him after he released a pass.

Rourke isn’t likely to make the Falcons’ roster as they have Kirk Cousins, Taylor Heinicke, and rookie Michael Penix Jr. in-house but will probably spend the rest of camp with them.

That means the Giants won’t get a shot at him until after final rosters are set in three weeks. At best, Rourke is practice squad material at this point.

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Giants activate TE Theo Johnson from PUP, release QB Nathan Rourke

The New York Giants have activated rookie TE Theo Johnson from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and released QB Nathan Rourke.

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll revealed on Sunday morning that rookie tight end Theo Johnson (hip) had passed his physical and been activated from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

Johnson was initially placed on PUP after reporting for training camp earlier this week but his stay was always expected to be shortlived.

The Giants selected the 6-foot-6, 259-pound Johnson in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft with an understanding that Darren Waller was likely to retire.

Daboll told reporters that Johnson will return to the practice field on Sunday where he’ll compete with Daniel Bellinger, Lawrence Cager, and others for a role on the 53-man roster.

In addition to activating Johnson from PUP, Daboll also announced that quarterback Nathan Rourke had been released.

The Giants claimed Rourke off of waivers from the New England Patriots in early May but he saw almost no action throughout the first three training camp practices.

With Rourke off the roster, the Giants will move forward with Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito.

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Report: Former Patriots QB Nathan Rourke had multiple waiver claims

QB Nathan Rourke reportedly had multiple waiver claims after being released by the Patriots

Former New England Patriots quarterback Nathan Rourke had multiple waiver claims after being released earlier this week.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Atlanta Falcons put in a waiver claim for the quarterback, in addition to the New York Giants, who ultimately claimed him off waivers Tuesday.

He was initially claimed by the Patriots off waivers back in December 2023. He did not appear in a game for New England, but he was the top backup behind Bailey Zappe in the regular season finale against the New York Jets.

Rourke was a star in the Canadian Football League, where he recorded a 78.7% completion percentage in 2022. That number was a CFL record. He earned the league’s award that year for Most Outstanding Canadian.

The Patriots have remade their quarterback room this off-season with rookies Drake Maye and Joe Milton III, along with veteran Jacoby Brissett. The development of that room will be fascinating to watch.

Falcons tried to claim QB Nathan Rourke off waivers

The Atlanta Falcons tried to claim QB Nathan Rourke off waivers but lost out to the Giants

The Atlanta Falcons appear to be set at the quarterback position with Kirk Cousins, Taylor Heinicke and rookie Michael Penix on the roster. However, that didn’t stop them from trying to add another QB on Tuesday.

As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported, the Falcons put in a waiver claim for quarterback Nathan Rourke but he was awarded to the New York Giants. Rourke, 25, previously played for the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Rourke has yet to take an NFL snap but the former Ohio standout clearly has some interested suitors around the league. However, it’s unclear why the Falcons would be looking to add someone like Rourke. Could this be a sign the team wants to move on from Taylor Heinicke?

While it’s possible, Heinicke took a pay cut to remain in Atlanta this offseason, so it would be somewhat unexpected for him to be released.

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Giants claim QB Nathan Rourke off of waivers from Patriots

The New York Giants have claimed former CFL standout quarterback Nathan Rourke off of waivers from the New England Patriots.

The New York Giants added a fourth player to their quarterback room on Tuesday, claiming quarterback Nathan Rourke off of waivers from the New England Patriots.

Rourke, who was waived on Monday, began his professional career with the BC Lions as a second-round pick in the 2020 CFL draft. Two years later, in 2022, he broke out, completing 78.7 percent of his passes for 3,349 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions en route to being named the CFL Most Outstanding Canadian.

After his record-setting CFL campaign, Rourke held workouts with 12 NFL teams, including the Giants, before ultimately signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Jags released Rourke on December 16 and he was signed by the Patriots on December 18 only to be waived earlier this week. The 25-year-old did not appear in a regular season game for either team.

With the Giants, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Rourke will compete with Tommy DeVito for a job behind starter Daniel Jones and backup Drew Lock.

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What Nathan Rourke’s release means for Patriots QB Bailey Zappe

Will Bailey Zappe be the next to go in New England?

Bailey Zappe is the last man standing from the New England Patriots’ 2023 quarterbacks room.

Malik Cunningham was signed to the Baltimore Ravens last season. Meanwhile, Mac Jones was traded in free agency, and Nathan Rourke was released on Monday.

Zappe-Mania is no longer running wild, and the former fourth-round draft pick out of Western Kentucky is clinging like a hair on a biscuit in a much-improved quarterbacks room ahead of the 2024 season.

Is the end coming for Zappe? That’s the immediate question following the release of Rourke.

The Patriots clearly weren’t keeping five quarterbacks on their roster. So it was no surprise to see the former CFL standout get cut after the team drafted rookies Drake Maye and Joe Milton III in April. They weren’t going to take reps away from their promising young signal-callers for Rourke.

However, things might not be as cut and dry for Zappe, who has started eight games in total for the Patriots over the last two seasons. Veteran Jacoby Brissett projects as the top quarterback due to his experience running Alex Van Pelt’s offense, while Maye works behind the scenes getting up to speed. But right out of the gates, Zappe should at the very least make the top-three on the depth chart.

Milton isn’t a lock as a sixth-round pick, and he’s going to have to show more than just a cannon arm to make the roster. The thinking is Zappe will have an opportunity to compete on the practice field.

Now, if Milton has a strong showing throughout the practices, it could put Zappe’s roster spot in jeopardy. What happens at quarterback will ultimately be fueled by how far along Maye and Milton are in the process by the end of training camp.

That alone sets the stage for one of the more intriguing quarterback battles in recent memory. Zappe still has a fighting chance, and it won’t be long before we see what he makes of it.

Patriots reportedly releasing former top backup QB Nathan Rourke

QB Nathan Rourke has reportedly been released by the Patriots

The New England Patriots have reportedly informed former top backup quarterback Nathan Rourke of his release, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Rourke, a former CFL standout, was initially picked up by the Jacksonville Jaguars before he was ultimately released and signed by the Patriots late in the 2023 season. He was promoted as the top backup quarterback behind Bailey Zappe by former coach Bill Belichick in the Patriots’ regular season finale against the New York Jets.

The change of regimes, along with the Patriots drafting Drake Maye and Joe Milton III, while also signing veteran Jacoby Brissett in free agency, likely spelled doom for Rourke’s chances of making the team.

And obviously, the Patriots weren’t going into training camp with five quarterbacks on their roster.

Rourke is still only 25 years old with other football playing avenues to continue to prove himself, while also staying ready for the next available NFL opportunity.

Report: Patriots re-signing QB Nathan Rourke to new deal

The Patriots reportedly made a quarterback signing on Friday

The New England Patriots are reportedly re-signing backup quarterback Nathan Rourke to a new deal, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Rourke, who was claimed off waivers by the Patriots last December, never saw the field in New England, but he was promoted ahead of Mac Jones as the primary backup to Bailey Zappe in the final week of the season.

At the very least, the former Canadian Football League standout will have an opportunity to compete for a roster spot in New England.

Keep in mind, the Patriots reportedly already have a three-step plan in place, which includes drafting a rookie quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft, signing a veteran quarterback and moving on from Jones.

Rourke obviously did enough behind the scenes to impress the right people. We’ll see if he can keep the momentum going in his offseason preparation for a Patriots’ quarterbacks room that’s about to get significantly crowded.

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Patriots Week 18 inactives: Mac Jones OUT, Nathan Rourke IN vs Jets

Mac Jones is a healthy scratch for the Patriots in Sunday’s game against the Jets

After beginning the season as the starter for the New England Patriots, Mac Jones will finish as a healthy scratch in Sunday’s finale against the New York Jets.

Jones was listed as inactive in the lead-up to the Week 18 matchup, which means Nathan Rourke will serve as the primary backup for Bailey Zappe.

There are questions regarding Jones’ future with the Patriots in 2024, and this roster move only thickens the plot with the team likely looking to move in a different direction at quarterback after the season.

The Patriots are expected to approach Sunday’s matchup as any other game with the typical starters being in the lineup. Along with Jones, wideout Tyquan Thornton and offensive tackle Trent Brown were also listed as inactive.

Here’s the full list of inactives for both teams:

Jones will serve as the emergency No. 3 option for the Patriots, if Zappe and Rourke both somehow get injured. Unless something crazy happens, Jones has officially played his final snap of the season.

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