By Stampeders.com Staff

In January, Drew Tate signed a contract extension to prolong his stay with the Calgary Stampeders, which began back in 2009.

Six weeks later, fellow quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell signed a contract that will keep the 2014 Grey Cup in Red and White through the 2018 season. If you think the latter development made Tate regret his decision, you’d be wrong.

Tate is 30 and has proven that he can win games as a starter in the CFL, but he also loves Calgary and is quite happy with life as a Stampeder regardless of what role he’s asked to play.

This is a nine-year veteran who was giddy at the thought of playing a pre-season game Friday in Regina after not seeing a single snap at QB during the Stamps’ first pre-season contest.

“It’s an opportunity to play ball,” said Tate. “I take every opportunity I can, whether it’s pre-season, post-season or (regular) season. It doesn’t matter. I get paid to play and I want to play at a high level.”

Tate certainly did that on Friday as he engineered a fourth-quarter comeback as the Stamps erased a 26-16 deficit to win 37-29.

“I think it feels good for the whole team,” Tate said of the rally. “With the second group of o-line, the second receivers, the second backs, I thought we were all on the same page. Our chemistry was really there and we had good tempo. We were in and out of the huddle. Guys were just excited and we were playing together. As the game went on, we just started building on confidence and, man, we were able to pull it out.”

Tate completed 12 of 17 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown in his half of work.

“It felt great because, historically, I haven’t really played great in the pre-season,” he admitted. “I just felt good this whole week in practice. I just felt so much better than the week before and I was just really looking forward to getting in and playing and having fun. You know, I love playing football and it’s really fun to play with guys who love to play, too.”

And don’t try to tell Tate that a pre-season victory is meaningless.

“That’s why we showed up — to win the game,” he declared. “It’s sports — you play the game to win, right?”

The Stamps did a lot of winning in 2014 — posting a combined 17-3 record in the regular season and playoffs — and are ready for the challenge from the eight teams trying to snatch the Grey Cup from their clutches.

“Absolutely we have the bull’s-eye,” he said. “I think we’ve had the bull’s-eye that last four years. But that’s good. That keeps guys hungry because they want to stay in first place.”

The Stamps lost a few key players from last year’s championship squad but many of the players — including all three quarterbacks — remain in place.

“Huff’s done an unbelievable job since I’ve been there of keeping continuity — and continuity is so key, in the coaches and in the players,” said Tate. “Luckily for us, we have that. Guys really feel comfortable with each other and they trust that their teammates are going to be where they’re supposed to be.”