The Canadian Press
HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have officially acquired the rights to American quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell.
The Tiger-Cats completed the trade on Monday, sending the Calgary Stampeders a third-round pick in the 2023 CFL Draft, a fifth-round pick in the 2024 CFL Draft and future considerations.
Upon completion of the 2022 season, Mitchell expressed his desire to explore other opportunities to be a starting quarterback for another club.
“We spoke to other teams and Hamilton expressed interest in acquiring Bo’s playing rights in advance of free agency,” Stampeders president and general manager John Hufnagel said in a team-issued statement.
“We are very grateful to Bo for everything he has done for the Stampeders over the past 11 years and wish he and his family all the best.”
The news follows a report earlier on Monday from TSN’s Dave Naylor that Mitchell, a two-time Grey Cup winner and two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player, would be making the move to Hamilton.
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BREAKING: Hearing that the @Ticats have traded for the rights to @calstampeders QB Bo Levi Mitchell. #CFL #Stamps #Ticats
— Dave Naylor (@TSNDaveNaylor) November 14, 2022
Mitchell, 32, suited up in 165 games, including 117 starts, over 10 seasons with the Calgary Stampeders (2012-2022), completing 2,496 of 3,866 pass attempts (64.6 per cent) for 32, 541 yards with 188 passing touchdowns and 89 interceptions.
The six-foot-two, 199-pound native of Katy, TX dressed in all 18 games, including nine starts for the Stampeders this season, completing 160 of 261 passes (61.3 per cent) for 2,010 yards with nine touchdown passes and six interceptions.
In addition to being a two-time Grey Cup champion (2014, 2018), a two-time Grey Cup MVP (2014, 2018) and a two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player (2016, 2018), Mitchell is a two-time CFL All-Star (2016, 2018) and a three-time CFL West All-Star (2015, 2016, 2018). He is the CFL’s active leader with 32,541 passing yards and currently ranks 15th all-time in the category.
Mitchell began the 2022 season as the starting quarterback for the Stampeders but was put into the backup role behind Jake Maier after Week 11’s contest against the Toronto Argonauts. In relief of Maier in the Western Semi-Final against the BC Lions, Mitchell completed eight of his 11 passes for 147 yards.
He tallied 2,010 yards to go along with nine touchdowns and six interceptions this season for the Stampeders.
The Tiger-Cats used both Dane Evans and Matthew Shiltz in their Eastern Semi-Final loss to the Montreal Alouettes.
