B.C. Lions’ Jacob Bond ‘pissed off’ by late-game drops in loss to Riders

Photo courtesy: David Dermer/B.C. Lions

Every young football player dreams of catching a pass in crunch time. Unfortunately for Jacob Bond, his first two CFL targets were closer to a nightmare.

The 23-year-old fullback was thrust into action after the B.C. Lions were ravaged by injuries in their season-opener against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, taking to the field as a Z receiver on the game’s final series. Twice, quarterback Nathan Rourke was forced to look his way with the game on the line. Both times, the ball bounced off Bond’s hands and fell to the turf, including on the last play of the game.

“When you’re not used to it, it’s pretty crazy. Just a rush of emotions,” Bond told 3DownNation this week, recalling the moment he saw the ball coming his way for the first time in a regular-season game.

“It was a tough spot to be in. I know I had some guys come up to me and talk to me after the game, but when the ball comes your way, you’ve got to make plays. I’m more pissed off at myself than anybody else is pissed off at me.”

As the saying goes, no one play determines a football game, and the drop by Bond was no exception. However, it was the final nail in the coffin of a 31-27 defeat and left many scratching their heads regarding the choice of personnel.

The Lions had one hand tied behind their back late in the game after both Seven McGee and Jevon Cottoy left with injuries, leaving them without a full complement of five receivers. Even so, the team had their choice between four players to fill the last spot on the outside.

Starting running back James Butler was on the field for the final play, but was held in to pass protect despite his prowess as a receiver. With the team not limited by the ratio, his American backup, Zander Horvath, could have also come off the sidelines, boasting a wealth of receiving experience in the NCAA and a couple of touchdown catches from his time in the NFL. Even fellow fullback Riley Pickett was an option, with eight career CFL receptions since converting from the defensive side of the ball.

Bond seemed to be the least likely option to run a route when victory hung in the balance. And yet, head coach Buck Pierce trusted the second-year territorial exemption when it mattered most.

“You see what he does every day,” Pierce explained. “He’d been working for us at multiple spots throughout the week. We know our roster is what it is, and he’s a very smart player. He was able to line up and execute some things, so we felt comfortable with him in there. Unfortunately, it didn’t end the way that we wanted it to end, but he knows our system, and he knows multiple spots for us.”

The fact that the Lions are high on Bond isn’t a surprise. That has been quietly true since last year, and his performance in training camp pushed him close to leapfrogging Pickett on the fullback depth chart. Erase the two drops, and he was arguably one of B.C.’s best players against Saskatchewan, earning the team’s highest special teams grade according to ProFootballFocus and recording two tackles.

However, primetime receiving duties would seem to stretch the bounds of that potential. A star linebacker for the Okanagan Sun in the Canadian Junior Football League, Bond was only converted to fullback in training camp last year. He did catch two passes for 17 yards in the 2026 preseason, but you’d have to go back to youth football to find his last meaningful reception.

“It’s been a while,” Bond acknowledged. “I played linebacker ever since high school, really. When I played junior football, I rushed the ball a few times, but never really caught passes. Caught a few in training camp, but other than that, it was preseason, and that was about it.”

“At the end of the day, it’s just football. When you practice it during the week, you’ve got to be able to do it during games. That’s just the way it goes”

Even if Bond had reeled in his first career CFL reception, it is unlikely that it would have changed the outcome against Saskatchewan. Needing a touchdown to win the game and stuck at the 33-yard line, Nathan Rourke was forced to target Bond well short of the end zone due to heavy pressure in his face.

Some have criticized the play call, given that Bond, Keon Hatcher and Stanley Berryhill III all ran routes less than 15 yards downfield. Justin McInnis settled into a hole at the 10-yard line, while Kieran Poissant was the only player to streak into the end zone. Pierce defended the concept, noting that eight Rider defenders were lined up near the goal line.

“There were multiple vertical routes in that situation. I think, in looking at certain things, if they’re playing the end zone, we’re still trying to get multiple levels of routes,” he explained. “It didn’t work out in our favour. We learn from it in the long run.”

The Lions will continue to be tested heading into Week 3, as McGee, Cottoy, and Berryhill have all been placed on the six-game injured list following the loss in Regina. Hatcher will also be a game-time decision on Saturday, raising the possibility of four new receivers in the starting lineup.

Much like when Bond was pushed into action, Pierce is adamant that the fresh-faced personnel won’t change his approach.

“I don’t think you can (let it affect your playcalling). I think you have to continue to focus on putting the guys in the right position to do what they do well,” he said. “We spend a lot of time with these guys, so we see what they do on a daily basis. We’re excited to use their skill set.”

For his part, Bond remains resilient after the unfortunate moment in the spotlight. It was his ability to overcome adversity that saw him beat the odds and get on the field in the first place, and he insists that will continue. He also remains confident in the Lions’ ability to bounce back with him.

“You want to win every game you go into, but it’s the first game of the year. If you dwell on it into the next week, then you’re gonna have problems,” he said. “It’s a long season and we’ve got a really talented team, so I think we can go pretty far.”

The B.C. Lions (0-1) will visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-1) at Hamilton Stadium on Friday, June 19, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EDT.

J.C. Abbott is a University of British Columbia graduate and high school football coach. He covers the CFL, B.C. Lions, CFL Draft and the three-down league’s Global initiative.