Photo: Jeff Vinnick/B.C. Lions
Keon Hatcher already owns one of the greatest receiving seasons in B.C. Lions’ history, but he believes the top mark all-time could be within reach after signing a massive extension with the team.
“Honestly, yes, I have thought about that record, looked at that record multiple times. This year, that was my goal coming back,” Hatcher said in an exclusive sitdown with 3DownNation. “I wanted to do 2,000 and, if you’re watching the tape and you’re looking at where I messed up with the things that I messed up on, it’s like, ‘Man, you could have had it.’”
Hatcher crushed his previous career-highs in 2025, racking up 102 catches for 1,688 yards and nine touchdowns to lead the CFL in receiving yardage. While that still fell well short of the all-time record set by Calgary’s Allen Pitts in 1994, it was the highest total by any CFL player since 2016 and the fifth most prolific season in Lions’ franchise history.
Only Hall of Famers Geroy Simon (2004, 2006), Darren Flutie (1994), and Mervyn Fernandez (1985) have ever produced more yards in a season while wearing orange and black. However, the Tulsa, Okla., native still feels there are better seasons for him on the horizon.
“I don’t think we got close to the ceiling, to be honest. That was our first year in (head coach Buck Pierce’s) offence. We’re still learning, we’re still getting the little nuances and the details down,” he said.
“I’ve been eyeing that goal that you brought up, and, man, I think we could do it.”
Hatcher will be paid handsomely in pursuit of that goal. After signing a two-year contract extension to stay in B.C., he’ll take home $310,000 in hard money next season and $320,000 in 2027, making him the highest-earning non-quarterback in the CFL for the time being.
Resetting the top of the market wasn’t the top priority for the 31-year-old entering negotiations, but getting properly compensated was after several seasons played under market value. The Lions were eager to see him return and put forth an opening offer that was “very respectable,” requiring just a couple of back-and-forths to hammer out the final dollar figure.
That was a sharp contrast from a year ago, when B.C. struggled to see eye-to-eye with their top receiver. After rushing back from a torn Achilles suffered in the 2023 West Final and underperforming at less than full strength, he was asked to renegotiate his contract and take less.
Hatcher described the situation as a tough blow, and he was ultimately released by the Lions ahead of a scheduled offseason bonus. However, the two sides reconciled just one day later, after an intervention from an unnamed teammate.
“There were a few inquiries from about three or four teams, but I got a call from a big dog, and he told me not to take any calls until he talked with the front office,” he recalled. “He called me the next day and said everything was gonna be all right, so we got it done.”
Hatcher refused to reveal who that “big dog” was, only stating that it was an active player who “runs a lot” and “makes plays.” Still, it seems fair to speculate that quarterback Nathan Rourke tops the short list of players with enough clout to influence contract negotiations for his teammates.
Even if he wasn’t a part of the reunion in 2025, the CFL’s reigning Most Outstanding Player was a key reason why Hatcher was so eager to re-sign this offseason, rather than wait to test the open market and push his salary even higher.
“Man, so important. I believe in that guy,” he said of his quarterback’s influence. “Even when he left, when he went down south, I believed he belonged. I’ve seen his work ethic. I’ve seen his passion for the game, his love for the game. I’ve seen him play. I’ve seen him out there. He’s a great man, on and off the field. He’s amazing. He had a big part in why I came back and how I came back.”
Hatcher believes he and Rourke see the game the same way, which makes his chase for receiving immortality attainable.
When Pitts set the benchmark at 2,036 yards more than 30 years ago, he had a legend in Doug Flutie throwing him the rock. The Lions’ Canadian QB is in that same special category, despite the fact that some are still undervaluing his production this year.
“Nate missed two games this year. On all of his stats and stuff, everything says he played 18 games, and that’s not the case. He started 16 games and finished with those numbers. What if he would have played those other two? We’re talking possibly 6,000 yards and 36 to 38 touchdowns. We’re on the up rise, for sure,” Hatcher mused.
“I think we broke records for having the most yards average per play in CFL history. I don’t know how far we could go, but for it to be our first year (in Pierce’s system), I know we can go further.”
Critics may point to Hatcher’s age as an obstacle to his record-setting goal, but several of the CFL’s top receiving yardage seasons have come from players who were 30 or older at their peak. That list includes Milt Stegall, Geroy Simon, and Pitts himself, who set the record the year he turned the big three-oh.
Hatcher is quick to insist that he has more tread on the tire than many players in his age group, having spent four years bouncing around NFL practice rosters with just three games to show for it. Even his first CFL campaign was limited to eight games, which means he has played half as many contests as other 31-year-olds, like Winnipeg’s Nic Demski.
The Arkansas product recently went back and watched film from every season of his professional career and believes he’s still getting better. While he doesn’t have an age in mind that he wants to play until, he predicts he has four or five seasons left in him before any drop-off.
“I’m talking good years. I’m talking real productive years,” he stressed. “Not just on the team, skating by trying to get a cheque. I’m talking about producing.”
As of right now, there is a mutual desire for all those remaining good years to happen in B.C., where the system and situation are best suited to maximize his talent.
“I love the city, I love being a Lion. I started my family in Vancouver. Man, it just feels like a home,” he said. “They’ve told me multiple times that they want me there for my career, for me to finish it out there. For us to be able to be on the same page and get that deal done, I’m just thankful for it.”
“Wasn’t really no place else (I wanted to be). I mean, who doesn’t want to play in the dome?”