Argonauts ‘waiting to hear from’ CFL on Chad Kelly reinstatement, want QB to practice before suspension lifted

The Toronto Argonauts are eagerly awaiting word from the Canadian Football League on whether or not star quarterback Chad Kelly will be allowed to return from suspension as scheduled in Week 12.

“We’re waiting to hear from the league, I think we’re supposed to get some news today,” head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said during an appearance on TSN 1050‘s First Up on Thursday morning. “I think he’s got one more evaluation. He’s going through his classes. I think he’s got two to do before he’s cleared so he’s trying to get that handled.”

Kelly was suspended for a minimum of nine games by the CFL after a third-party investigator found he “unequivocally violated” the league’s gender-based violence policy. The punishment was handed down after a former Argonauts strength and conditioning coach filed a lawsuit with the Ontario Superior Court in February, alleging Kelly “repeatedly sought to initiate romantic connections” with her throughout the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

To have a chance at being reinstated by the three-down league, the six-foot-two, 216-pound passer must attend mandatory counselling sessions conducted by a gender-based violence specialist and undergo an assessment from an independent expert. If he doesn’t complete the sessions and assessments to the CFL’s satisfaction, discipline against him could be modified.

While the timeline for Kelly’s return is out of Toronto’s hands, the team has remained steadfast that he will be their starting quarterback if he returns. That will first require the 30-year-old pivot to return to practice before the end of his suspension, something he has not done since voluntarily removing himself from training camp in May.

“I assume the league would potentially allow him to practice before his actual suspension’s lifted. Player-safety-wise, the kid’s gotta at least get out there and get going, you can’t expect him to come back week one and play,” Dinwiddie said.

“Even if we get him a few weeks of practice time, it’ll be more practice roster-type, scout team-type of work for him. We’ve got to get the other guys ready to play but let’s get him out there and get him acclimated to it again. I think it’s more of a player-safety thing. We’ve got to get him on the practice field before we play him.”

Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, it is at the team’s discretion as to whether a suspended player can attend practice. However, the optics surrounding Kelly’s alleged transgressions make it a more challenging issue to navigate and it is unclear if external pressure from the league contributed to his decision to return home after his presence at rookie camp sparked outcry from several female CFL staff members.

The lawsuit against Kelly and the Argonauts was settled in June to the satisfaction of all parties and none of the allegations were ever tested in court. However, an 87-page report commissioned by the CFL from Saskatchewan-based firm Buckingham Security Services Ltd. corroborated three of the six claims made against the quarterback, including “sexual harassment as defined by the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act.”

In his defence filed prior to the settlement, Kelly denied making “any romantic or sexual overtures” towards the plaintiff, including workplace sexual harassment. He called the claims “spurious” and accused the plaintiff of filing the lawsuit merely to draw media attention to what was “otherwise a very routine termination situation.”

The Argonauts claimed “no knowledge” of any behaviour by Kelly that violated the league’s gender-based violence policy or breached the Ontario Human Rights Code. The team claimed its conduct with the plaintiff was “all times fair, reasonable, lawful and undertaken in good faith,” though general manager Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons later took responsibility for the alleged mishandling of the harassment claims.

Kelly last saw the field on November 11, 2023 — the same week several key allegations in the lawsuit were said to have taken place. He threw four interceptions and fumbled once in a stunning upset loss to the Montreal Alouettes in the East Final, claiming he suffered a concussion during the game.

While he has not participated in practice with the team since that playoff exit, Dinwiddie acknowledged for the first time that Kelly has not been entirely absent from the Argos’ facility this season.

“He’s been around. He’s actually in Buffalo right now and then back and forth from New York, he’s got a trainer down there that he works with. He’s been trying to stay involved as far as watching the film from home and he’ll come by every once in a while, see the guys and jump into maybe a meeting and stuff like that,” the coach explained.

“We’re not going to totally kick him out of the building, he’s still part of the team, but it’s tough for him too to be around, knowing he’s not going to play. Hopefully, we’ll get him back here in the next week or two, at least get him on the practice field before the suspension is lifted and he’s available to play.”

Kelly joined the Argos for the 2022 season and came off the bench to lead the team to victory in the 109th Grey Cup. He took over the starting job last year and posted a 15-1 win-loss record as a starter, throwing for 4,123 yards with 23 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while carrying the ball 41 times for 248 yards and eight touchdowns en route to being named the league’s Most Outstanding Player.

Backup quarterback Cameron Dukes has completed 116-of-160 passes for 1,184 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions while rushing for 198 yards and two scores through six games, going 3-3 as the starter. However, the second-year pivot has been pulled in all three of the team’s losses, including giving way to Nick Arbuckle in Saturday’s upset loss by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“We feel like Cam can keep the boat afloat but we’re not satisfied with (our record). We’re actually very disappointed with where we’re at,” Dinwiddie said, noting he would not decide on his starting QB until at least Friday.

“I’m probably gonna play both of them and we’ll go from there. We all believe in Cam, I still do, but Nick, I have a comfort level with him. I’ve won some games with him, been around him a long time. Nick went in there and did a good job getting the ball out of his hands. He’s been in the system a little bit more, seen a lot more football than Cam has but Cam’s still a good player.”

It will all be in the interest of treading water until Kelly can be re-inserted back into the lineup, with his earliest possible return coming on Thursday, August 22 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The Argonauts (3-3) will next face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2-4) on Saturday, July 27 at BMO Field. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT.

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