Nathan Rourke wasn’t supposed to play in Week 1 of the 2021 season.

He wasn’t the starting quarterback.

But with the team’s starter, Michael Reilly, dealing with an injury before kickoff, it was Rourke who had to step up and play in a hostile road environment in front of the rowdy crowd at Mosaic Stadium.

Most players know their “welcome to the CFL” moment as soon as you ask them about it.

Rourke’s came in that game.

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Reilly was supposed to be the Lions starter in Week 1 of the 2021 season, the CFL’s return to action following the cancelled 2020 season, but he didn’t run out onto the field for the team’s opening drive. It was Rourke, the rookie, thrust into action instead.

“That was a crazy one,” remembered Rourke. “Because that was where Mike (Reilly) was supposed to play and right before the game, he said that he couldn’t go, so I had to go and start.”

So Rourke took the field facing a relentless Rider defence. They were sending pressure that Rourke, admittedly, was having trouble beating. He threw a pick-six to Nic Marshall in the second........

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