The BC Lions have signed American defensive lineman Jonah Tavai to a two-year contract that will keep him with the team until 2027.
The five-foot-10, 283-pound defensive tackle appeared in 13 regular-season games for the Leos in 2025 and was seen as a catalyst in the trenches despite not earning All-CFL recognition.recording 26 defensive tackles and five sacks. He added five tackles and a sack in two playoff games.
“John's combination of grit, strength and work ethic has made him one of the best defensive linemen in the CFL,” general manager Ryan Rigmaiden said in a statement.
“Re-signing him was a priority for us and he will ensure that our entire defense continues to improve.”
Tavai first joined the Lions ahead of the 2024 season. In 24 games over two years, he made 38 defensive tackles, seven sacks and forced one fumble.
The Inglewood, California native attended San Diego State (2019-22), where he recorded 147 tackles, 36 tackles for loss, 24 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles in 48 games. In 2022, he was named a first-team All-American by Pro Football Focus and Bleacher Report after recording 10.5 sacks for the Aztecs, and was given second-team honors by the Associated Press and USA Today.
Jonah is the younger brother of defensive end JR Tavai, who played two seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks and one with BC, and linebacker Jahlani Tavai, a second-round NFL draft pick who currently plays for the New England Patriots.
The BC Lions finished second in the West Division standings in 2025 with an 11-7 record and beat the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Finals before losing to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the West Final. Nathan Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 16 regular-season starts, posting an 11-5 record. He was also named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player.
The Lions ranked first in net offense, fourth in net defense and sixth with a minus-four turnover margin. James Butler rushed for 1,213 yards, Keon Hatcher led the CFL with 1,688 receiving yards and Micah Awe led the league with 117 tackles. British Columbia ranked third in attendance with an average attendance of 27,124, up 0.9 percent from the previous year.
