Calgary Stampeders head coach and general manager John Hufnagel is pleased to announce that quarterback Drew Tate has signed a contract extension with the club. As per team policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“We’re very pleased with everything Drew has done for the football club over the past two seasons,” said head coach/general manager John Hufnagel. “When given the opportunity to play, he has always delivered and we’re looking forward to his continued growth as a member of the Stampeders.”

Tate, who was scheduled to become a free agent following the 2010 season, has dressed for 36 regular-season games and two playoff contests with Calgary since joining the club as a free agent in 2009. The four-year CFL veteran has completed 53 of 73 passes (72.6 per cent) for 599 yards and seven majors with zero interceptions and a 133.9 quarterback rating. He has added 38 carries for 209 yards rushing and five touchdowns.

“I’m very happy to get this done and I’m excited to be with the Stampeders for the foreseeable future,” said Tate. “This is a first-class organization, from my teammates to the coaches and support staff. We have great fans and it’s been great to be a part of the city, so overall I think it’s a great fit for me here.”

The six-foot, 192-pounder had an increased role in 2010, seeing the field in each of Calgary’s 18 regular-season games. He completed 44 of 62 passes (71.0 per cent) for 521 yards, seven touchdowns with no interceptions and posted a quarterback rating of 133.9, tops among all CFL pivots. He also added five rushing majors on 36 carries for 189 yards.

Tate was proficient in limited action in 2009, completing nine of 11 passes for 78 yards in two games. He saw the first game action of his professional career with his CFL debut on Oct. 12 at Montreal and completed five of six throws for 36 yards. He also played on Nov. 7 at Saskatchewan and made four completions on five attempts for 42 yards and also added a 20-yard run.

The native of Baytown, Texas, spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons on Saskatchewan’s practice roster after a stellar college career with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

>> Audio: Drew Tate
>> Audio: John Hufnagel