Justin McInnis isn’t going anywhere. He’s staying in BC, where he found footing in his CFL career.
A few days after signing a two-year extension to stay with the Lions, McInnis and teammates like Nathan Rourke and Jevon Cottoy began the quest for their 2025 campaign.
While the rest of Canada wasn’t fazed by the few centimetres of snow the lower mainland had received, the Lions turned the snow day into a fun throwing session.
It all starts with Rourke, head coach Buck Pierce, and some players outside the Lions’ training facility.
“When I showed up in the morning, they were all shovelling. And I was like, ‘Okay, I guess we are outside today,’” McInnis said.
Developing good chemistry starts in the offseason. Rourke will be looking at big-body receivers like McInnis and Jevon Cottoy, it’s never too early to get into the rhythm.
“It was cool. That was my first time catching this offseason. I’m always ready to catch. It was a fun little snow day,” McInnis said.
He’s done it with Vernon Adams Jr. before in the offseason, getting those throwing sessions in to understand each other’s tendencies. He is working on the timing of his route trees to ensure he and his quarterback are on the same page.
McInnis sees the passion Rourke plays and trains with, which makes him extra motivated to get back to work.
“We know it’s going to take time for chemistry to build up. The biggest thing is to be on the same page. I’m excited to work with Nate and he’s excited. You could tell he has a lot of passion for the game. I was talking to Buck too about the offence, I have high hopes for us as a unit,” McInnis added.
In 2024, McInnis led the CFL with 1,469 receiving yards and added seven touchdowns to his resume last season.
Lions’ general manager Ryan Rigmaiden said the wide receiver has evolved into an elite game-breaker in the CFL. McInnis also believes under Buck Pierce’s new team and offence, he could reach his full potential.
“My goal this year is to have a better year than last year. I think it’s possible,” McInnis added.
“I’m not a super vocal guy. I let my work ethic and plays on the field be my leadership. I want to hold the team accountable. Our biggest thing last year was when we went through adversity, you never saw the team coming back from it. We’re going to have to find sparks throughout the season to get through challenges that we will face.”
Off the field. McInnis loves to sit back and play NHL 25. But he only gets so many days in the offseason to experience life. Like being a girl dad and travelling outside of North America for the first time in his life.
McInnis, his brother and fellow receiver Alex Hollins will be taking a trip to Panama this month.
“My brother is doing all the planning. I don’t know much about it. I just know I’m going. It’s my first time going to Panama,” he said.
Before his trip to Central America, McInnis has been an active member of the school community in the lower mainland. Leading in the Lions Pride and Be More Than A Bystander presentations.
In Lions Pride, McInnis and Lions players are targeting a younger audience, guiding them to make healthier choices and goal-setting in life.
In Be More Than A Bystander, the program is prepared for high school students to educate young adults about gender-based violence. As a girl dad, McInnis shares personal stories and provides tips to help students process uneasy conversations surrounding this topic.
“Even though I would like to reach everyone with these presentations. I’m hoping that the presentations will stick in the back of people’s minds. I hope the kids will start taking their decisions more seriously,” he added.