HAMILTON — Bo Levi Mitchell is starting to resemble the quarterback he once was.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ signal-caller has thrown for over 300 yards in both of his starts this season. This marks a significant improvement for the 34-year-old, who was plagued by injuries in 2023, limiting him to just six games in his debut year with Hamilton.
However, Mitchell’s resurgence hasn’t translated into victories for the Tiger-Cats, who are currently 0-2. In their latest game, the Saskatchewan Roughriders rallied from behind, outscoring Hamilton 16-3 in the fourth quarter—and 26-10 in the second half—culminating in a 33-30 win on Brett Lauther’s game-ending 43-yard field goal.
When asked if he feels he’s regaining his form, Mitchell said after Sunday’s game, “I guess, but at the same time, no, because we’re 0-2 and I pride myself on winning. Yardage and touchdowns don’t matter to me as much as the win. If we ran for 300 yards and won, I’d be happier than I am right now. I feel like I’m getting there but still have a lot to improve on.”
Mitchell delivered a strong performance against Saskatchewan, completing 27 of 38 passes for 380 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. However, that turnover was costly—receiver Tim White tipped a Mitchell pass that Saskatchewan’s C.J. Avery intercepted at Hamilton’s 37-yard line with 35 seconds left.
Mitchell emphasized the need for the team to learn how to win. “Absolutely,” he said. “We need to learn how to finish and be great. We’ve played two good teams so far, and we’re going to keep improving. I’ll do my part as the veteran to lead these guys and steer the ship in the right direction.”
In Hamilton’s season-opening 32-24 road loss to Calgary, Mitchell also completed 27 of 38 attempts for 300 yards. It was his first game against his former team, where he spent 10 seasons and led them to two Grey Cup titles and won the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award twice.
Last year, Mitchell was limited by an adductor injury and surgery to repair a fractured right leg, leading to just six starts (2-4 record). He completed 59.1% of his passes for 1,031 yards with six touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
During the off-season, Mitchell restructured his three-year, $1.62-million contract to remain in Hamilton. He attended rookie camp with a walking boot on the leg that required surgery but was fully active when training camp began.
Mitchell has displayed more than just passing skills this season, showing agility in the pocket and being sacked just once so far. He was sacked against Calgary but also recorded a personal-best 36 rushing yards on three carries.
Hamilton head coach and offensive coordinator Scott Milanovich noted Mitchell’s increasing confidence. “I think he’s getting more comfortable,” Milanovich said. “We’re understanding better what he excels at and what works for us offensively. He played a really good game, but we needed to finish on offense.”
Mitchell remains optimistic about the team’s prospects, underscoring the importance of learning from each game. “That’s what makes football so exciting,” he said. “There’s a lot for us to build on and learn from. I appreciate the trust from Scott to put the game on us offensively. We just need to execute better.”