Uncovering Dane Evans’ Remarkable Journey in American and Canadian Football
Stephen Dane Evans, born November 19, 1993, has an impressive journey across various football leagues. The American professional football player, known for his skills as a quarterback, recently joined the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), creating quite a stir in the sporting community. But his journey goes far beyond his recent signing. Let’s delve deeper into the making of Dane Evans, from his college days to his NFL and CFL stints.
Evans’ football career commenced at the University of Tulsa, where his potential as a quarterback began to shine through. After redshirting in 2012, he gradually improved his performance over the years, recording 84 touchdowns and passing for 11,680 yards over his college career. His senior year was particularly notable, with 32 touchdowns and 3,348 passing yards to his name.
After Tulsa, Evans was ranked 25th among quarterbacks in the 2017 NFL Draft by NFLDraftScout.com. Despite this recognition, he went undrafted. However, his football journey continued as he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in June 2017, marking his first step into the NFL.
His time with the Eagles was short-lived, as he was waived in September 2017. Undeterred, Evans found a new opportunity north of the border when he joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL in October of the same year. He made his first CFL start in 2018, impressing audiences by throwing for 315 yards.
The subsequent years saw Evans find his footing in the CFL. The Tiger-Cats extended his contract in 2019, leading him to step into the starting role after an injury to the starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. He led the team to a first-place finish in the East Division that season, throwing for 3,754 passing yards and 21 passing touchdowns and finishing with a 9-2 record as a starter.
However, the 2020 season was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, prompting Evans to take on a graduate assistant role at the University of North Texas. His CFL journey resumed in 2021 as the backup to Jeremiah Masoli. A lower-body injury sidelined him mid-season, but Evans returned to lead Hamilton to a Grey Cup berth, completing all 16 pass attempts for 249 yards and a touchdown against the Argonauts.
Despite a strong performance, his tenure with the Tiger-Cats ended in early 2023 when the team signed veteran quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell and traded Evans to the BC Lions for a conditional fourth-round selection in the 2024 CFL Draft.
In BC, Evans finds himself in a position to continue his journey. His 2023 season started on a high note, with a game-saving performance against the Roughriders after starter Vernon Adams Jr. suffered an injury.
As Evans turns into the spotlight again, the football world eagerly watches, waiting to see what this talented quarterback will bring to the BC Lions in 2023 and beyond.
