MONTREAL – The Montreal Alouettes announced Tuesday that the team has signed extensions with two Quebecers; long snapper Louis-Philippe Bourassa and offensive lineman Pier-Olivier Lestage. Bourassa will be under contract in 2025 and 2026 and Lestage will be linked to the team until 2025.
“I’ve known Louis-Philippe and Pier-Olivier since their college years, and they are exactly the kind of players who fit into our culture,” said Danny Maciocia, general manager of the Alouettes. “These two athletes have won wherever they’ve been, and they will be greatly beneficial both in the locker room and on the field.”
Bourassa (six-foot-three, 232 pounds) played all 18 regular season games with the Alouettes in 2023 and all playoff games to hoist the Grey Cup. His efficiency on snaps helped the Alouettes to be first in the CFL with a 37,9 average yards per punt.
He joined the Ottawa REDBLACKS in 2017, helping the team reach the Grey Cup the following year.
The 32-year-old played 75 career games with Ottawa, after being the team’s fourth round pick (36th overall) in the 2017 CFL Draft.
In 2014, the Shawinigan, QC native won the Vanier Cup with the Université de Montréal Carabins coached by Danny Maciocia.
Lestage (six-foot-three, 310 pounds) was awarded the most outstanding offensive lineman by the Alouettes in 2023. His brilliance on the offensive line allowed quarterback Cody Fajardo to be among the leaders in passing yards (3,792) and touchdown passes (13).
The 26-year-old contributed greatly to the success of receiver Austin Mack, who gained 1,154 yards on receptions and receiver Kaion Julien-Grant who had amassed 512 yards in only nine games before his injury. Lestage was a starter for all 17 games.
The Saint-Eustache QC native was selected in the second round by the Alouettes in the 2021 CFL Draft (10th overall). The former Université de Montréal Carabin signed with the Seahawks following the NFL Draft in May 2021 and played three exhibition games with the team. He joined the nest in July 2022.
The 26-year-old played three seasons with the Carabins. In 2019 he was named a RSEQ first team All-Star and second team All-Canadian.
