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Historically, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have been criticized for being difficult to negotiate with on contract extensions. The most recent example is the two-year battle the Tiger-Cats and WR Tim White waged, with White attempting to secure the amount of money he believed his value warranted. However, a recent trend has emerged: when players live up to the expectations of the Hamilton front office and help the Tiger-Cats win on the field, they get paid.
The first example of this was the Tiger-Cats starting quarterback, Bo Levi Mitchell. During his first season, he missed several games with injuries. The Tiger-Cats then moved to restructure his contract. But since that off-season, Mitchell has reemerged as a top-tier quarterback in the CFL, and Hamilton rewarded him with a contract extension that increased his financial compensation. Another example of the Tiger-Cats' generosity when it comes to paying a premium amount of money for performance.
Hamilton has made the decision to extend the contract of WR1 Kenny Lawler. Lawler's extension includes a three-year commitment that keeps Lawler with Hamilton through the 2028 season, and a boost in pay equating to $1 million. That extension makes Lawler the highest-paid wide receiver in the history of the CFL, excluding the ludicrous contract the Toronto Argonauts gave to "Rocket" Ismail in 1991.
The extension was first reported by TSN Football Insider Dave Naylor, and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats confirmed it in their own press release.
To provide context that has not been clearly reported, the $1 million is being paid to Lawler in increments over the next three seasons. In 2026, Lawler will be paid $300,000; in 2027, $330,000; and in 2028, $370,000. This incremental escalation is an attempt to provide the Tiger-Cats with insurance that Lawler will remain healthy and continue producing as he did last season.
During the 2025 season, Lawler played in every regular-season game and the East Division Final for Hamilton, and, in addition to staying healthy, he became the explosive centerpiece of the Tiger-Cats' passing attack. Last season, Lawler caught 86 passes for 1,443 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. In the East Division Final, Lawler caught 9 passes for 117 yards. This contract extension ensures that Lawler will be a fixture for the Tiger-Cats passing game for the next three seasons.
Tiger-Cats Add American LB Jordan Kwiatkowski
In addition to granting Lawler a huge contract extension, the Tiger-Cats have also added another prospect in an effort to find a way to boost the performance of their defensive front seven. During the off-season and training camp, the Tiger-Cats have been searching for a player to fill the gap left by Devin Veresuk, who left to pursue an NFL opportunity with the Cleveland Browns. The latest attempt to find a prospect to step in for Veresuk is American linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski.
Jordan Kwiatkowski is a 6'1", 235-pound off-the-ball linebacker from Sterling Heights, Michigan. Kwiatkowski played college football at Central Michigan University from 2022 until 2025. While playing for the Chippewas, Kwiatkowski played in 47 games and recorded 118 solo tackles, 134 assists, 4 interceptions, including one returned 48 yards for a touchdown, 3.0 quarterback sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and 3 forced fumbles.
While playing at Central Michigan, Kwiatkowski demonstrated his elite football IQ and ability to recognize play structure, which enabled him to be a productive, high-volume tackler. In addition, Kwiatkowski excelled at disrupting the offensive backfield while primarily blitzing from a traditional linebacker position inside the box. While Kwiatkowski tends to struggle in man coverage situations and lacks elite recovery speed, he makes up for those deficiencies with his nose for the ball, enabling him to produce a wealth of takeaways.
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