Keon Hatcher has already had one of the best receiving seasons in BC Lions history, but he believes the team's all-time top mark may be within reach after signing a massive contract extension with the team.
“Honestly, yes, I thought about this album, looked at it several times. This year it was my goal to come back,” Hatcher said in an exclusive conversation with 3DownNation. “I wanted to do 2000, and if you watch the tape and see where I messed up with the things that I messed up, it's like, 'Man, you could have gotten that.'
Hatcher broke his previous career highs in 2025 with 102 catches for 1,688 yards and nine touchdowns and led the CFL in receptions. While still far from the record set by Calgary's Allen Pitts in 1994, it was the highest total by any CFL player since 2016 and the fifth-highest season in Lions franchise history.
Only Hall of Famers Hero Simon (2004, 2006), Darren Flutie (1994) and Mervin Fernandez (1985) have ever gained more yards in a season while wearing orange and black. However, the Tulsa, Oklahoma native still feels like better seasons are on the horizon.
“Honestly, I don't think we're anywhere near the ceiling. This was our first year in (head coach Buck Pierce's) offense. We're still learning, we're still picking up little nuances and details,” he said.
“I had my eye on the goal you brought up, and man, I think we could achieve it.”
Hatcher will be paid handsomely to achieve this goal. After signing two-year contract extension to remain in British Columbiahe'll take home $310,000 in hard money next season and $320,000 in 2027, making him the highest-paid non-defensive end in the CFL at the moment.
Reclaiming the top of the market was not the 31-year-old's top priority entering negotiations, but getting proper compensation was a priority. after several seasons played at market value. The Lions were eagerly awaiting his return and put forward an opening offer that was “very respectable,” requiring only a couple of back-and-forth conversations to work out the final dollar amount.
It was a stark contrast from a year ago, when BC struggled to come to terms with its top receiver. After returning from a torn Achilles suffered in the 2023 Western Finals and failing to perform in a short-handed role, he was asked to renegotiate his contract and take less.
Hatcher described the situation as a tough blow, and the Lions ultimately released him ahead of his scheduled offseason bonus. However, both sides made up just a day laterafter intervention from an unnamed teammate.
“There were a few inquiries from about three or four teams, but the big dog called me and told me not to answer the phone until he talked to the front office,” he recalls. “He called me the next day and said everything would be okay, so we did it.”
Hatcher declined to reveal who the “big dog” was, saying only that he was an active player who “runs around a lot” and “plays.” However, it seems fair to assume that defenseman Nathan Rourke tops the short list of players with enough clout to influence contract negotiations for his teammates.
Even if he wasn't part of the 2025 reunion, the reigning CFL 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 boost his salary even further.
“Man, it's so important. I believe in this guy,” he said of his quarterback's impact. “Even when he left, when he went south, I believed he was mine. I saw his work ethic. I saw his passion for the game, his love for the game. I saw him play. I saw him there. He's a great man, on and off the field. He's amazing. He played a big part in why I came back and how I came back.”
Hatcher believes he and Rourke see the game the same way, making his pursuit of immortality within reach.
When Pitts set the 2,036-yard mark more than 30 years ago, he had a legend in Doug Flutie to throw him the rock. The Lions' Canadian QB falls into that same special category, even though some still underestimate his production this year.
“Nate missed two games this year. From all his stats and stuff, it says he played 18 games, but he didn't. He started 16 games and finished with the same numbers. What if he had played those other two games? We're talking maybe 6,000 yards and 36 to 38 touchdowns. We're definitely on the rise,” Hatcher mused.
“I think we broke the record for the highest average yards per game in CFL history. I don't know how far we can go, but since this will be our first year (under Pierce's system), I know we can go further.”
Critics may point to Hatcher's age as a barrier to his record-setting goal, but several of the CFL seasons with the most yardage totals came from players who were 30 or older at the peak of their careers. That list includes Milt Stegall, Jeroy Simon and Pitts himself, who set the record the year he turned three.
Hatcher is quick to insist that he has more tire tread than many players in his age group, having spent four years on NFL practice squads and proven it in just three games. Even his first CFL campaign was limited to eight games, meaning he played half as many games as other 31-year-olds like Winnipeg's Nick Demski.
The Arkansas player recently went back and watched film from every season of his professional career and believes he is still getting better. While he doesn't have an age in mind to which he wants to play, he projects he has four or five seasons left before any dropout.
“I'm talking about good years. I'm talking about really productive years,” he emphasized. “Not just on the team, riding around, trying to get a check. I'm talking about producing.”
At this point, there is a mutual desire for any remaining good years to be spent in British Columbia, where the system and situation are best suited to maximize his talent.
“I love this city, I love being a Leo. I raised my family in Vancouver. Man, it feels like home,” he said. “They've told me multiple times that they want me to be there for my entire career, to finish it there. For us to be on the same page and get this deal done, I'm just grateful for that.”
“Isn't there anywhere else I (I wanted to be)? I mean, who doesn't want to play in the dome?”
