The B.C. Lions and defensive lineman Mathieu Betts agreed to a two-year contract extension through the 2026 season on Thursday. According to The Canadian Press writer Dan Ralph, Betts will be the league’s highest player making over $525,000 in hard money.
Mathieu Betts is six foot three and weighs 250 pounds. The 29-year-old from Montreal, Quebec, signed with the Detroit Lions on February 13, 2024. Betts made 4 tackles (2 solos, 2 assists) and one sack in three preseason games. The Lions released him on August 27, 2024. The B.C. Lions signed Betts on August 29, 2024. In 2024, Betts made 13 tackles, two sacks, one interception, and one touchdown in seven games.
The Chicago Bears signed Betts as an undrafted free agent on May 3, 2019. In 2019, he made three tackles (3 solos) in four preseason games. The Bears released him on August 31, 2019. Then, he signed with the Edmonton Eskimos (now Elks) on September 9, 2019. He played two seasons with 13 tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble in 19 games.
The B.C. Lions signed Betts as a free agent on February 8, 2022. In 2022, Betts made 26 tackles, two tackles for loss, and seven sacks in 18 games. In 2023, Betts made 42 tackles, two tackles on special teams, 18 sacks, and four forced fumbles in 18 games on his way to being named a CFL West All-Star and CFL All-Star. In addition, Betts won the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award.
Collegiately, Betts played four seasons at Laval University (2015-18) with 91 tackles (58 solos, 33 assists), 45 tackles for loss, 35.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 17 pass breakups, and one touchdown in 31 games for the Rouge et Or.
He helped the Rouge et Or win two Vanier Cups in 2016 and 2018. Betts won the Peter Gorman Trophy in 2015 for the U Sports Rookie of the Year, a three-time winner of the J. P. Metras Trophy for outstanding lineman, and the Lois and Doug Mitchell Award in 2019 for the top male athlete in Canadian Universities.
