Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell underwent successful ankle surgery Monday following an injury sustained during Sunday’s home game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The 36-year-old Mitchell was injured in the third quarter when Winnipeg’s Jake Ceresna sacked him and landed heavily on his left ankle. Medical personnel stabilized the injury on the field before Mitchell was taken off in an ambulance.
Mitchell’s recovery is expected to be complete, according to the Tiger-Cats, though the team has not provided a timeline for his return or indicated if the injury will end his season. This marks the second time Mitchell has required surgery since joining Hamilton in 2023, having previously undergone operations to repair a lower-leg fracture that limited him to six starts that year.
Orlondo Steinauer, Hamilton’s president of football operations, said Mitchell remains in good spirits and will focus on rehabilitation with determination. Veteran linebacker Reggie Stubblefield acknowledged the difficulty of losing the team’s starting quarterback and leader but emphasized the importance of moving forward. “It’s very tough, very emotional because that’s QB1, that’s the leader,” Stubblefield said. “But it’s a long season, you just have to go back to work, figure things out and stick to things that give us winning football.”
The game also saw Winnipeg’s starting quarterback, Zach Collaros, leave due to an upper-body injury sustained in the second quarter after being sacked by Stubblefield. Collaros’s condition remains unclear, but Stubblefield expressed hope for his quick recovery.
With their quarterbacks sidelined, both teams relied on backups. Canadian rookie Taylor Elgersma, the 2024 Hec Crighton Trophy winner, stepped in for Winnipeg and delivered a solid performance, completing 11 of 15 passes for 86 yards and scoring a touchdown. His efforts helped set up Sergio Castillo’s game-winning 23-yard field goal with 21 seconds left, sealing a 14-13 victory for Winnipeg. On the Hamilton side, backups Tre Ford and Jake Dolegala struggled to find rhythm, combining for just 15 passing yards and one interception.
Mitchell had been enjoying a strong start to the 2026 season, leading the league with an 84 percent completion rate over 81 attempts, totaling 879 yards, eight touchdowns, and only one interception before his injury. His recent performances included near-perfect efficiency ratings, putting him among an elite group of quarterbacks in Canadian Football League history.
Hamilton, now 2-2, is scheduled to visit the defending Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders, who hold a 3-1 record, on Sunday. Head coach Scott Milanovich acknowledged the challenge ahead but noted the opportunity for backups to prove themselves should Mitchell remain sidelined.
In a social media message Monday, Mitchell expressed gratitude to teammates, fans, and his family while affirming his commitment to returning to the field as soon as possible. “We have something special in Hamilton, and this doesn’t change that,” he wrote. “I love you all.”