Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill lose their minds as Nathan Rourke's insane TD throw goes viral - "That was nasty!!!"
The 2023 NFL preseason is finally underway, and one of the biggest highlight plays has already impressed a few NFL stars.
On Saturday, the Jacksonville Jaguars visited the Dallas Cowboys for their opener and won 28-23. In the game-sealing play, quarterback Nathan Rourke overcame a furious pass rush and found Qadree Ollison for a 21-yard touchdown:
That was enough to elicit a response from Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill:
"What and the Paul Crewe going on," he tweeted.
Later, Hill's former Kansas City teammate, reigning Super Bowl champion quarterback Patrick Mahomes, also reacted:
Who is Nathan Rourke? A brief overview of new sensational Jaguars QB
In Nathan Rourke, the Jacksonville Jaguars may have found the perfect backup for generational talent Trevor Lawrence.
Born on May 24, 1998, in Victoria, British Columbia, the Canadian began his college career at Fort Scott before joining the FBS ranks at Ohio in the Mid-American Conference. In his three years as a Bobcat, he was twice named to the All-MAC second team while throwing for 7,457 receiving yards and 60 touchdowns. He also won the inaugural Jon Cornish Trophy (best Canadian player in NCAA football) as a junior and repeated it as a senior.
After his collegiate career ended, Rourke returned to Canada to play in the CFL. He was selected 15th overall in 2020 by his hometown BC Lions, but the ensuing season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He ultimately made his CFL debut in 2021, mainly backing up Michael Reilly. Overall, he had 52 completions for 754 yards and three touchdowns.
Reilly retired the following year, elevating Rourke to starter. He immediately thrived, and was leading the league in multiple categories when he sustained a foot injury in August. He returned in October, just before the playoffs, where the Lions would eventually lose in the Conference Finals to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
For his efforts, he was named the Most Outstanding Canadian and started attracting workout offers from multiple NFL teams. Finally, in January this year, he joined the Jacksonville Jaguars on a futures contract.