‘You don’t have to be a superhero’: Argos’ Ryan Dinwiddie says he’s ‘handcuffed’ QB Chad Kelly with game management emphasis

Toronto Argonauts’ quarterback Chad Kelly was billed as a big play threat when he took over as the starter this offseason, but it is the lack of big mistakes that has most impressed head coach Ryan Dinwiddie thus far.

“He’s just where I want him to be, right there as far as managing games. You don’t have to win the game, make the plays that are there to be made,” Dinwiddie said during an appearance on TSN 1050 this week.

“You don’t have to be a superhero. One day, he might have to be one when we call on him to win a game and be that person, but right now just be a great teammate and great leader. Go to work every day, make sure guys are getting better each day and show up when you’ve got to make those plays.”

The 3-0 Argonauts enjoyed a Week 5 bye as the CFL’s only undefeated team, thanks in part to a strong start to the year from Kelly. The first-time starter has completed 50-of-75 passes for 751 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions while rushing 11 times for 77 yards and three scores.

The team’s commanding Week 4 victory over the high-flying B.C. Lions was a statement performance. Kelly played mistake-free football against arguably the league’s best defence, completing 79 percent of his passes for 249 yards and a touchdown. However, Dinwiddie believes he’s held back his quarterback from more inflated statistics.

“We always say the routine plays, you’ve got to make. You don’t have to make the exceptional plays, just make the routine plays and we’ll be fine,” he explained. “I’ve handcuffed him a bit over the last few weeks. I think we could have scored more points, but I wanted to make sure that me and him were going in the right direction.”

Kelly signed with Toronto ahead of the 2022 season and spent the duration of the year as the team’s backup and short-yardage specialist. He made one start, the first of his professional career, in the regular-season finale against Montreal but became a household name after coming off the bench to secure an upset Grey Cup victory against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Boasting an NFL pedigree and tremendous bloodlines through his uncle, Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, Chad’s brash confidence meant he would not be satisfied in a secondary role. The Argos quickly recognized the 29-year-old pivot could be a driver at the box office and were sold on him as the future of the franchise.

“Just his make-up. I think everybody’s gonna get the message as far as him maturing as the young man that he was. Made some mistakes off the field, but we never doubted Chad at all as soon as we got to meet him,” Dinwiddie recalled.

“He sat in my office the day of the parade after we won the Grey Cup and was like, ‘I can’t do this backup role anymore.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, you don’t have to be that guy. Trust me, just give us a few weeks.’ We knew who he was well before that day.”

After incumbent veteran McLeod Bethel-Thompson announced his departure for the USFL in the offseason, Kelly was officially handed the reigns. He has delivered by placing the team alone atop the standings, but Dinwiddie still sees room for growth.

“I think he’s maturing and he’s starting to see the field better. More importantly for me, I want him to start seeing where guys are. We have a low SAM, low half, ok, now who’s the flat player, who’s the hook-curl player?” he said.

“There’s certain details to this game that are different than 11-man football, and he’s trying to pick that up. That’s the key there is just knowing where to go with the ball, rhyme or reason, getting that. I’m proud of where he’s going and it’s going in the right direction.”

The Argos will return to action on Friday, July 14 against the Montreal Alouettes. Against their chief East Division competitor, it may just be time for Dinwiddie to take the handcuffs off.