Defensive lineman Mathieu Betts of Montreal, Quebec is still a member of the Lions. After having a sensational 2023 Canadian Football League season with the British Columbia Lions, Betts signed a contract with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League on Tuesday according to the Canadian Press.
In 2023, Betts had 42 defensive tackles, two special teams tackles and 18 sacks for the Lions. He won the CFL’s most outstanding defensive player award, was a CFL All-Star, and set the record for the most sacks in a season by a Canadian. Betts broke the record of 17 sacks previously set by Brent Johnson of Kingston, Ontario, and Jamaal Westerman of Brampton, Ontario. Johnson had 17 sacks with the Lions in 2005, and Westerman had 17 sacks with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2015.
Betts has previously tried to make the Chicago Bears. He signed a three-year contract with them in 2019, but was cut on August 31, 2019, and never played a CFL game. In addition to playing the last two seasons with the British Columbia Lions in 2022, and 2o23, Betts played three seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos/Elks from 2019 to 2021.
Betts also had an outstanding Canadian university career. He won two Vanier Cups with the Laval Rouge et Or in 2016 and 2018. Betts also won the Peter Gorman Trophy (USport Football Rookie of the Year) in 2015, and the J.P. Metras Trophy (top Canadian university lineman) three straight years from 2016 to 2018.
