Opinion | Bo Levi Mitchell is the Ticats' man ... and their magnet

25 Jan 2023

Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell is introduced as the new Hamilton Ticats starter by head coach Orlondo Steinauer.

Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell is introduced as the new Hamilton Ticats starter by head coach Orlondo Steinauer.
Three-year deal for former CFL Most Outstanding Player

By Steve MiltonSpectator Columnist

Tue., Jan. 24, 20235 min. read

The Tiger-Cats got their man, and now he wants to help them get more men.

After several weeks of discussions, the Ticats signed quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell to a three-year deal, unveiling their new No. 19 to the public Tuesday afternoon in a well-attended media conference in the team’s locker-room.

Mitchell said that he would “try to explain to guys what made me sign here and maybe that gets some guys here from around the league.”

The 10-year CFL veteran who had spent the entirety of his pro career with the Calgary Stampeders until the Ticats traded for his rights in mid-November, could have become a free agent in mid-February, but instead opted to sign a three-year deal with Hamilton for what is likely less than he would have commanded in the open market.

Most league insiders peg the contract at between $520,000 and $540,000 per season, about $100,000 less than figures tossed around in December when the Ticats brought Mitchell and his wife, Madison, to town for a weekend to scout out the city, team facilities and the Bay Area’s family-oriented amenities. The couple have two young daughters.

“I’ve never been too much about the money,” said Mitchell. “I’ve always wanted to be treated fairly but I’ve never asked to be the top-pay guy in the league, it’s hard to win that way.”

Mitchell pointed to an “interesting” statistic, which Ticat assistant general manager Spencer Zimmerman compiled, showing what portion of the team’s salary cap that the winning quarterback in recent Grey Cups had been paid. That was generally seven to nine per cent, which allowed the team to spend a bit more money on other important players. Mitchell’s contract will be about nine per cent of the 2023 salary cap of $5.51 million.

Mitchell reiterated that he had planned to test free agency, but said he eventually changed his mind because he wanted to play for head coach and president of football operations Orlondo Steinauer, and was assured Steinauer’s top two coaching lieutenants — offensive co-ordinator Tommy Condell and defensive co-ordinator Mark Washington — would be returning. He has already been working with Condell on “bringing some things back” to the league, although he would not elaborate. Many Ticat fans were vocally dissatisfied with Condell’s work for much of the 2022 season, but Mitchell says he and Condell “are definitely on the same page.”

Steinauer said, “Time will tell” whether Mitchell’s signing will help lure other free agents to Hamilton, “But I don’t see how it’s going to hurt us. Obviously, we’re not going to be shy about it; Bo could be very instrumental in acquiring new faces or bringing back other faces who are very familiar to the fans in Hamilton.”

Mitchell said the team had asked him to “lean on” some of the Ticats’ own free agents eligible to leave the team in mid-February. He mentioned that he’d already been texting with Tim White, Hamilton’s leading receiver, who is among those the Ticats would certainly want to retain.

Mitchell explained that he was attracted to the Tiger-Cats for several reasons: Steinauer; the commitment to winning; the neighbourhoods and facilities available to his family; the Grey Cup Game returning here in November; the ownership of Bob Young, Stelco and managing partner Scott Mitchell; the facilities and fan proximity at Tim Hortons Field; the players already under contract; and the city itself.

“I like how hard-nosed it is: they love the sport, they love the team. They pay a lot of money for tickets and they should get a good show.”

The Ticats wanted Mitchell’s leadership and championship experience and feel that the injuries that affected his play after 2018 have completely healed, a notion Mitchell confirmed on Tuesday.

He spent 10 years in Calgary, winning the 2014 and 2018 Grey Cups and was the MVP in each, he is also a two-time league MVP and has twice led the CFL in passing.

The 32-year-old native of Katy, Texas, played at SMU and Eastern Washington before coming to Canada in 2012, and became the Stamps starter in 2013. His 32,541 passing yards are most among active CFL quarterbacks, but after enduring injuries in 2019 and 2021, he lost his starter’s job to Jake Maier in the second half of 2022. When Maeir signed a contract extension, Mitchell’s time in Calgary was effectively done.

But in his final game as a Stamp, he came off the bench to generate two, long scoring drives in the West semifinal against B.C.

In mid-November, the Ticats sent this year’s third round CFL Canadian draft pick, and next year’s fourth, plus future considerations, to Calgary for Mitchell’s rights — they were the only team allowed to negotiate with him until Feb. 7 — and a draft choice. The finalized details have Mitchell, Calgary’s first-round pick this year (fifth) overall and third-rounder next year going to Hamilton, and Hamilton’s first pick (fourth overall), plus their third- and sixth-round picks this year, and a second rounder in 2024 going back to the Stampeders.

Landing Mitchell means the Ticats will have to trade or release Dane Evans, who led them into back-to-back Grey Cups and was chosen over Jeremiah Masoli to lead the team in 2022, but despite some impressive performances, struggled most of the season with devastatingly costly fumbles and interceptions. Steinauer says the team has been in contact with Evans since the Ticats obtained his rights.

“The next step will be determined in the future,” Steinauer said.

Mitchell’s signing will have a free-agency domino effect and the CFL market will likely swing into brisk action on Feb. 7. Evans, who had some outstanding games for the Ticats the past two seasons, remains on the Hamilton roster but would have to be paid a significant amount of guaranteed money if he opens training camp with the Ticats, adversely affecting their salary cap. Evans would likely garner interest from Saskatchewan, and perhaps even B.C. or Toronto.

Meanwhile, Mitchell said his goal is to get his new team into the Grey Cup game, and winning the trophy the Cats haven’t hoisted since 1999 — the league’s longest current drought.

“Legacy is a big one for me and to possibly be a guy who can help bring the Grey Cup back to this building would mean a lot,” he said. “(Calgary) got to host the Grey Cup in 2017 and not to be able to even be in the game I know what that feeling is like and I don’t ever want to be part of that again. I want to be a reason that the fans want to be there, driving season’s tickets up, and hopefully filling this stadium and bringing that Cup back here.”

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