B.C. Lions bring back five-time all-star T.J. Lee III

Photo courtesy: Saskatchewan Roughriders

The B.C. Lions have signed veteran defensive back T.J. Lee III to a one-year contract extension. He was a pending free agent.

The soon-to-be 35-year-old rejoined the Lions midway through the 2025 season and played five regular-season games, making 31 defensive tackles, one sack, one interception, and one forced fumble.

The native of Houston, Texas has played 144 regular-season CFL games over 11 seasons with B.C., making 616 defensive tackles, 39 special teams tackles, 29 interceptions, nine forced fumbles, seven sacks, and one touchdown.

The five-foot-nine, 190-pound defender is a five-time All-West Division selection and two-time All-CFL selection.

“T.J. is the longest-tenured Lion for a reason,” said general manager Ryan Rigmaiden in a statement. “He will continue to be a leader on this team, as he has for a well over a decade. As an organization, we could not be happier to have him back.”

The B.C. Lions finished second in the West Division standings in 2025 with an 11-7 record and beat the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final before losing the West Final to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Nathan Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions over 16 regular-season starts, posting an 11-5 record. He was also named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.

The Lions ranked first in net offence, fourth in net defence, and sixth with a turnover differential of minus-four. James Butler rushed for 1,213 yards, Keon Hatcher led the CFL with 1,688 receiving yards, and Micah Awe led the league with 117 tackles. B.C. finished third in attendance with average crowds of 27,124, which was a 0.9 percent increase from the previous year.