All Betts Are On: Lions extend top National pass rusher through 2026
12/19/2024 11:42 AM
VANCOUVER — The BC Lions are keeping one of their top defensive players in house.
The Leos checked off a key item from the holiday shopping list as National defensive lineman Mathieu Betts has signed a two-year extension with the team. Betts was eligible to become a free agent this February and was the ninth ranked player on CFL.ca’s Top 30 pending free agents list.
“Mathieu is an elite player in this league who is playing at a premium position. He’s truly one-of-one, meaning there isn’t another player like him in the CFL," said general manager Ryan Rigmaiden.
"As we continue to add toughness and grit to this roster, Betts will be a cornerstone of this defence and someone we’ll continue to build around.”
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After beginning 2024 in training camp with the Detroit Lions where he recorded a pair of tackles and a sack in three pre-season games, Betts returned to British Columbia on August 30 and went on to register 13 defensive tackles and two sacks in seven regular season contests. He added his first career touchdown on an interception return in a victory over Calgary on October 4.
The Montreal native put together a historic 2023 campaign with 18 sacks to set a new single-season Canadian mark previously held by Lion legend Brent Johnson and Jamaal Westerman. Betts was also the first Lion to lead the CFL in sacks since Keron Williams in 2012 while his 42 defensive tackles set a new career high.
Betts was then recognized for his stellar 2023 campaign with the CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award while collecting West Division and CFL All-Star nods for the first time in his career.
He originally signed with the Lions ahead of 2022 and appeared in 13 regular season games with 26 defensive tackles and seven sacks.
After signing with the Chicago Bears as a non-drafted free agent in April 2019, Betts was selected by the Edmonton Eskimos in round one (third overall) of the CFL Draft in June and would appear in eight games over two seasons with the green and gold following his release from Chicago.
Betts suited up at Laval from 2015-18 where accolades included the J.P. Metras Trophy for Most Outstanding Lineman in the country in each of his final three seasons and Vanier Cup titles with the Rouge et Or in 2016 and 2018.
