The 40-year-old with the trademark accuracy is looking to add a little extra pop to nail even longer field goals, and says, ‘I want to be an all-around great kicker’<\/p>\n
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Published Feb 16, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 4 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n Sean Whyte connected on 39-of-41 field goals for the B.C. Lions last season and he\u2019s still mad at himself.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. 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Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account<\/p>\n or<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cI should have had a perfect season,\u201d said Whyte, the 40-year-old from White Rock who signed a one-year extension with the Lions last month and is now prepping for his ninth campaign with B.C. and his 19th in the CFL.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cThe ones I miss, it\u2019s like golf, where you think that you should maybe add a little bit more on this swing, and that\u2019s when the ball goes everywhere. There was a little bit of wind with the one in Hamilton (53 yards on Aug. 7), and I tried to add a little bit and I pushed it right. I did the same for the one in Ottawa (46 yards on Sept. 5).<\/p>\n \u201cIf I swing easy and trust myself, it\u2019ll be totally fine. But that\u2019s the mental battle we have as kickers. If I was smart, I\u2019d be really good at this.\u201d<\/p>\n Whyte was a key component in a B.C. team that won seven-straight games down the stretch last season before dropping a 24-21 heartbreaker on the road<\/a> to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Western Final. Not surprisingly, general manager Ryan Rigmaiden and head coach Buck Pierce opted to keep the band together, bringing back much of last year\u2019s core group.<\/p>\n Canucks Report<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The key loss is All-CFL team left tackle Jarell Broxton<\/a>, who opted to sign with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as a free agent. Along with Whyte, the Lions inked extensions for receiver Keon Hatcher, running back James Butler, defensive linemen Jonah Tavai and defensive backs Garry Peters and T.J. Lee before they went to free agency on Feb. 10.<\/p>\n The incoming free agent group is led by middle linebacker Darnell Sankey and defensive tackle Casey Sayles, who were East Division all-stars last year with the Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, respectively.<\/p>\n The regular season opens June 13 with a visit to Saskatchewan<\/a>. The Lions will start the season based out of the Apple Bowl in Kelowna<\/a> because of the FIFA World Cup, and their first of two home games as part of Touchdown Kelowna is set for June 27, with the Calgary Stampeders providing the opposition. The team gets back in B.C. Place for the first time on July 25, when they play the Toronto Argonauts.<\/p>\n Single-game tickets for Touchdown Kelowna go on sale Feb. 26.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cYou need good people and we have great people in that locker room,\u201d Whyte said. \u201cIt\u2019s special. It\u2019s a fun atmosphere to go to work in every day and we have each other\u2019s backs.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I was fortunate enough to win a Grey Cup in 2015 with Edmonton, it was a special group. We fought for one another. I feel the same with this team, if not even more excited.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very excited for next year because I think we had something special brewing last year and fell just a little bit short in the end. I\u2019m really hungry for next year. I know all of us are. We\u2019re ready to start cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n We apologize, but this video has failed to load.<\/p>\n Play Video<\/p>\n The group will be led once again by quarterback Nathan Rourke, who was named both the CFL\u2019s Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian this past season, and Whyte says that \u201cwe all know that he\u2019s going to be the best to ever do it as long as he stays healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s in there grinding and he\u2019s grinding every day,\u201d Whyte said of Rourke\u2019s off-season workout regiment. \u201cThat\u2019s a guy I want to follow and I\u2019ll go into battle with every single day. I trust him with everything.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got the right characters, we\u2019ve got the right athletes. We all know what we left out there in Saskatchewan last year and we\u2019re ready to take back what is ours.\u201d<\/p>\n Whyte has talked in the past about kicking field goals in the CFL as long as Lui Passaglia,<\/a> who was 46 when he finally retired from the Lions. The league is planning on changing its rules, and that will affect Whyte\u2019s position in particular when they move the goalposts to the back of the end zone in 2027.<\/p>\n Accuracy is his forte. He enters 2026 as the league\u2019s all-time leader in field goal success rate (88.8 per cent, 557-of-627) among players with 125 or more attempts, and since rejoining the Lions in 2022 he\u2019s been good on 94 per cent (175-of-186) of his attempts on the three-pointer.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n With the rule changes, he says that eventually \u201cevery kick is going to be 45 (yards) plus,\u201d and he\u2019s working to add power this off-season. His longest last year was 49 yards. Five of the league\u2019s nine regular kickers connected from 55 yards out or more, led by a 63 yarder from Winnipeg\u2019s Sergio Castillo.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a fine line, adding power without it coming at the expense of putting the ball exactly where he wants. He believes he can make it happen.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to be an all-around great kicker,\u201d he said. \u201cI know my weakness is my strength and I\u2019m just going to go out and show it off next year when I get it.<\/p>\n \u201cI know I can get that power back. I was hitting 60 yarders in practice in Edmonton in 2016, 2017. I know I can do that. I just have to stay focused and stay healthy. I feel good already and I still have three more months to go.<\/p>\n \u201cThis off-season, I\u2019m definitely training a lot more so hopefully I can last longer. I\u2019m not ready to retire. The thought of retiring scares me. I just love playing football.\u201d<\/p>\n His 2,282 career points and 557 field goals are both good ninth on the CFL\u2019s all-time list.<\/p>\n SEwen@postmedia.com<\/a><\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n B.C. Lions extend Nathan Rourke, keeping star quarterback in fold through 2028<\/p>\n![\"B.C.](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/png-0614n-bclions-901.jpg\")
B.C. Lions kicker Sean Whyte is prepping for his 19th CFL season. Photo by Jason Payne \/PNGArticle content<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.5.4\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-vp.svg\"){kind=logo}
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