Tiger-Cats’ Mitchell says he sought continuity when deciding on next stop

Bo Levi Mitchell was looking for continuity and consistency when it came to where he would play next.

Ultimately, that’s what led the 32-year-old quarterback to sign a three-year deal with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats instead of going to free agency in February.

“For me, it’s the continuity. It was having the ability to go somewhere and try to make it my second home and be the last home and create a second career basically,” Mitchell told The Green Zone’s Jamie Nye on Wednesday. “(I wanted to) try to forget about the past Grey Cups and MOPs and begin a new legacy.

“I want to play in front of rowdy fans and I’ve made that clear. I can’t wait to prove myself not only to the guys who write the cheques and are putting their faith in me but the players in that locker room and proving myself to those guys.”

Did Mitchell even entertain a move to Saskatchewan to play with the Roughriders, who appear in the market for a new starter with Cody Fajardo set to head to free agency?

“I know in 2018, I was about five minutes away from signing with Saskatchewan,” Mitchell said. “Even during the (2022) season, Saskatchewan was really, really on the radar because whenever the move was happening, some things were going on with every team around the league as far as who is looking good and who isn’t looking good at the moment.”

But it ultimately was continuity and the fact the coaching staff could see changes in 2023 in Saskatchewan that made it a less-than-ideal spot for Mitchell. Both head coach Craig Dickenson and general manager Jeremy O’Day are on one-year deals.

“I think (it was difficult) not knowing what maybe Sask. would have happened with players who are currently there, not knowing if guys are going to stay or go depending on what coaches came or didn’t come there,” Mitchell said. “It’s not really the moves Sask. made; it was the moves that Hamilton made to keep their guys.”

If the Riders had got Marc Mueller to come to Saskatchewan to be the offensive co-ordinator, that may not have been enough. Mueller, who is the grandson of Riders great Ron Lancaster, worked with Mitchell in Calgary.

“He’s a guy I trust a lot. There are a lot of things that go into it,” Mitchell said. “Let’s say I go to Sask. and Mueller is there and things don’t go well in the first little bit with whoever and they bring in a new head coach. That new head coach might want a different (offensive co-ordinator).

“That’s tough on Mueller (and) that’s tough on myself with a new playbook I have to learn.”

But Mitchell did get a kick from some of the rumours coming from Saskatchewan, including that he had already purchased a home in the Queen City.

“I thought it was hilarious. I heard a real estate agent put that out there that I was looking for a house through them so I thought it was hilarious,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell spent 10 seasons with the Stamps, throwing for 32,541 yards with 188 touchdowns and 89 interceptions. He is a two-time Grey Cup champion (2014, 2018) and a two-time CFL most outstanding player (2016, 2018).

He was supplanted as the starter by Jake Maier in the ninth game of the 2022 season, which ultimately put an end to Mitchell’s time in Calgary. His rights were traded to Hamilton in November.

While Mitchell initially said he wanted to take things to Feb. 14 free agency day, he admitted things changed earlier this week.

“Negotiations had been going a little bit and basically I said, ‘If you want to keep me, you need to make an offer that is going to do that,’ ” Mitchell said. “It wasn’t just a numbers thing but what came along with it — being able to collaborate with these guys on players. And the thing is, it wasn’t something I had to ask for.

“I ended up in the place I really wanted to be.”

You can listen to the full interview with Mitchell here.