While I don’t think many were surprised, it was awesome to see Bo Levi Mitchell opt not to call it a career and instead sign back for another two years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
At 35, the two-time Most Outstanding Player is playing some of the best football of his career. Mitchell has led the league in passing the last two seasons, averaging 5,373 yards and 34 touchdowns along the way. And, with how Hamilton’s season ended in the Eastern Final, it feels like unfinished business will be one of the themes of 2026 for Mitchell and the team.
RELATED
» View the entire 2026 schedule
» The Weekly Say: Moments to look forward to on the 2026 CFL schedule
» 5 must-watch CFL games in 2026
» 5 juicy rematches from 2025 in 2026
» Subscribe to the CFL’s newsletter for exclusive offers and league updates
But more than anything, Mitchell’s two-year extension underlines how stunning his comeback story really is.
Mitchell’s final two seasons in Calgary were marred by shoulder issues and a resulting performance drop. In fact, Mitchell lost his starting job to Jake Maier in the back half of the 2022 campaign before being traded to the Tiger-Cats the following January.
And as we know, that first year in Hamilton didn’t go well, either. Clouded by injury once again, 2023 saw Mitchell appear in just six games while completing less than 60 per cent of his passes and throwing 10 interceptions against just six touchdowns.
After three consecutive frustrating seasons, I was one of many concerned Mitchell’s time as a high-end starter had come to an end. Fortunately for the Ticats, Mitchell wasn’t of that same mindset and now the rest is history.
In that vein, this week’s MMQB is looking at a few other fun comeback stories over the last few years.
KEON HATCHER SR. | RECEIVER | BC LIONS
This one unfolded in front of us during the 2025 season as Keon Hatcher Sr. reclaimed his spot as one of the league’s most explosive receivers. In the process, Hatcher led the CFL with 1,688 yards while finishing second with nine touchdown catches. But a season like this felt far from a certainty just over a year ago.
Hatcher sustained a ruptured Achilles during the 2023 Western Final, ending a breakout season (1,226 yards, six touchdowns) in devastating fashion. And after a long road back, Hatcher dealt with a slow and rocky return midway through the following year. But his 150-yard outing in Week 2 this season signalled Hatcher’s emphatic return. He’d go on to post seven triple-digit games over the course of the campaign.
VERNON ADAMS JR. | QUARTERBACK | CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Vernon Adams Jr. has seemingly always had to battle for his place in this league.
Remember when it felt like he had finally cemented a starting role in Montreal before being quickly shuffled aside in 2022? And after getting back to the spot a couple years later with the Lions, the same thing happened when Nathan Rourke returned to the league in August 2024? This has not always been an easy road to travel.
That’s why I was so happy when the Stamps stepped up to acquire Adams Jr. just over a year ago, as it was his clear his time in BC was up. Adams Jr. was brought in to be Calgary’s answer to their starting woes and was largely successful. In his first year in Red and White, Adams Jr. threw for 4,247 yards and 21 touchdowns and was a driving force in the Stampeders returning to contention.
MICAH JOHNSON | DEFENSIVE TACKLE | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
SACKED!
Big stop on second down for Malik Carney and Micah Johnson! #CFLGameDay
🗓️: Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs. @sskroughriders LIVE NOW
🇨🇦: TSN, CTV
🇺🇸: CBSSN
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/WjFWpmTOkP— CFL (@CFL) August 16, 2025
It wasn’t that long ago I thought Micah Johnson’s days as a dominant interior force were surprisingly behind him. Johnson finished his time in Calgary in 2018 after a season that saw him record 14 sacks, an absurd total for his position. But for various reasons, including injury, Johnson’s next couple years with Saskatchewan never came close to the same type of effectiveness.
In fact, when Johnson signed with Hamilton for 2022, I didn’t think much of it. But that one year out east seemed to get everything back on track. In one season with the Ticats and three more that have followed with the Riders, Johnson has recorded 24 total sacks while returning to being one of the league’s most disruptive inside linemen.
This past season, paired with Mike Rose in the middle, Johnson was a driving force of Saskatchewan’s dominant defensive line. At the age of 37, Johnson finished as one of Pro Football Focus’s top 10 defensive tackles while winning his third Grey Cup.
