Veteran Evans comfortable in starting role with Hamilton Tiger-Cats

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are now Dane Evans' team.

The affable quarterback begins his fourth campaign with Hamilton, but first as its starter. Evans shared No. 1 duties with veteran Jeremiah Masoli the previous two seasons, but Masoli is now with the Ottawa Redblacks after being released by the Ticats when Evans bypassed free agency to sign a two-year extension with the club.

"I've always prepared the same way, I feel like I always approached it as 'the guy,'" Evans said. "So for me, nothing has changed other than everyone else is now telling me I'm the guy.

"It's been the same for me always."

Catch his season debut when the Tiger-Cats take on the Saskatchewan Roughriders LIVE on TSN1, TSN3, TSN.ca, the TSN App and on TSN Direct at 7pm et/4pm pt.

Evans began his CFL tenure with Hamilton in 2018, and he and Masoli gave the franchise the best of both worlds. With two bona fide starters in tow, the Ticats have made two straight Grey Cup appearances, although both resulted in heartbreaking losses to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Evans was Hamilton's starter in both championship contests. He relieved Masoli in the ‘21 East Division final, finishing 16-of-16 passing for 249 yards and a touchdown while rushing for a pair of fourth-quarter TDs to rally the Ticats to a 27-19 road win over the Toronto Argonauts.

Evans started Hamilton's 33-25 overtime Grey Cup loss to Winnipeg, leaving in the second quarter with a neck injury. Masoli guided the Ticats to a 22-10 fourth-quarter lead but they needed Michael Domagala’s 13-yard field goal into a stiff wind at 19:54 to force the extra session.

Zach Collaros’s 13-yard TD strike to Darvin Adams and two-point conversion to Rasheed Bailey put the Bombers ahead 33-25. Kyries Wilson