Quarterback Casey Printers says he's no longer a me-first guy as he prepares to lead the B.C. Lions into the 2010 season.

Printers, the league's 2004 most outstanding player in his first tour of duty with the Lions, hit a career low point a year ago when he was released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Now the pendulum has swung the other way.

The Lions announced yesterday Printers has signed a contract extension after joining the practice roster last September when B.C. was decimated by injuries at the pivot position.

"People were talking about me being a me-guy, me-this and me-that," said Printers, who left the Lions in 2006 amid a quarterback controversy to sign with the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.

That's changed, Printers said. Today, he's grateful and just wants to help the club.

Printers spent the 2006 season on the Chiefs' practice roster after leading the Lions to the 2004 Grey Cup, when starting quarterback Dave Dickenson was injured.

Dickenson started the championship game and reclaimed the Lions' No. 1 role the next year.

Printers, who will turn 29 before his eighth CFL season, started and won two of the last five games of 2009, enabling 8-10 B.C. to become a crossover playoff team in the East Division.

The Lions won the East semifinal 34-27 in Hamilton but were blown out 56-18 in the division final by the Grey Cup champion Alouettes in Montreal.