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Ticats re-sign Evans to 2-year extension

John E. Sokolowski / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Pending free agent Dane Evans is sticking around in the Hammer.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats re-signed the quarterback to a two-year deal, the team announced Wednesday. Financial terms were not disclosed.

After breaking out in 2019 following Jeremiah Masoli's knee injury, Evans began 2021 as his backup but eventually spent a significant portion of the season as the starting quarterback. The 28-year-old threw for 787 yards with six touchdowns against three interceptions while rushing for another three scores in 10 regular-season contests.

When Masoli struggled to open the East final against the Toronto Argonauts, Evans came off the bench and completed all 16 of his pass attempts to lead Hamilton to a second straight Grey Cup appearance. He started the 108th Grey Cup but completed just four passes before leaving with a neck injury.

Hamilton entered this offseason faced with a decision at quarterback, as both Masoli and Evans were pending free agents. Masoli remains on track to hit the open market next month, and head coach/president of football operations Orlondo Steinauer confirmed Evans will now take the reins full time.

"We felt like we had two very qualified guys, and it was a tough decision," Steinauer told Ticats digital manager Louie B. "We knew that we had a luxury here for quite awhile that we've always had two guys in-house and we knew that that was not likely to be the case (forever)."

Evans, 28, first joined the Ticats in 2017 following a training camp stint on the Philadelphia Eagles. The Tulsa product has thrown for 4,924 yards with 29 touchdowns and 18 interceptions over 46 CFL contests while guiding the Ticats to Grey Cup berths in each of the league's last two seasons.

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