Veteran quarterback Dane Evans has announced his retirement from professional football.
The 30-year-old joined the CFL in 2017 as a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and spent five seasons with the club, first becoming a starter in 2019 after Jeremiah Masoli suffered a season-ending knee injury. Ta. That same year, he led the club to a 15-3 record and qualified for the 107th Gray Cup.
The 6-foot-1, 218-pound passer served as Masoli’s backup until the start of the 2021 season, but eventually took over the starting role before being injured. Evans replaced Masoli in a relief role in the East final, leading Hamilton to an upset victory over the Toronto Argonauts. He started the following week’s 108th Gray Cup, but was injured in the second quarter and replaced by Masoli.
Evans signed a two-year contract extension and became the team’s unquestioned starter in 2022 after Masoli left for the Ottawa Redblacks. The Tulsa native regressed to 3,883 yards, 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in his first full year as Hamilton’s starter. He sat on the bench for Matthew Schiltz, including in the East semifinals against the Montreal Alouettes.
In February 2023, after Hamilton acquired Bo Levi Mitchell as their franchise quarterback, Evans was traded to the BC Lions in exchange for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2024 CFL Draft. As part of the deal, Evans renegotiated his contract and served as Vernon Adams Jr.’s backup. While Adams was out with an injury, Evans started two games and had a 1-1 record.
The Chickasha, Oklahoma, native finished his CFL career with 9,636 passing yards, 49 touchdowns and 40 interceptions in 79 games. He also carried the ball 131 times for 451 yards and 10 touchdowns.
