Toronto Argonauts quarterback Ricky Ray says he is “seriously thinking” about calling it a career.
The 38-year-old met with the media on Wednesday as the team cleaned out their lockers three days after winning the 2017 Grey Cup. After plenty of celebration, it sounds like the euphoria is starting to wear off for the veteran pivot.
“It’s been an awesome few days but it’s starting to fade a little bit,” Ray said. “Yeah, I’m seriously thinking about what my future is going to be.”
Ray is set to become a free agent in February but says if he plays, it will most likely be in Toronto.
“I can’t imagine playing anywhere else. If I would like to come back, this will be the first choice,” he said.
Ray said there’s an appeal to going out a Grey Cup champion as Redblacks quarterback Henry Burris did last year.
“There’s still a lot to accomplish but what is going to make it tougher is the year that we had, the finish that we had, that feeling that you’re at the top of the mountain,” he said. “Being able to have this as my last memory of playing, it’s going to make it more difficult.”
The crowd at Tuesday’s Grey Cup celebration in Nathan Phillip’s Square chanted “one more year” during Ray’s speech to which he responded, “what about two?” But a day later he said he was only joking.
“I was just kidding around. No hidden meaning,” he said.
Just a few days into the off-season, Ray says there isn’t a timetable to make a decision.
“Going off last year’s experience, I knew before the end of the year. It’s going to come down to how I feel,” Ray said. “It’s just going to be a gut feeling. One day I’m just going to know what my decision is going to be and I’ll just role with it.”
