The Toronto Argonauts won’t have quarterback Chad Kelly back in the lineup for this week’s matchup with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but don’t call it a setback in his recovery.
“No, not a setback, just we want to get some clarity on where he’s at,” head coach Ryan Dinwiddie told 3DownNation on Thursday, confirming that Nick Arbuckle will start once again in Week 8.
“We don’t want to put him out there a few weeks too early and have something that’s gonna be long-term, just rushing him onto the field. Just feel like it’s the best thing in his interest and the organization’s for the long term.”
Kelly has yet to dress for a CFL game since he suffered a fractured right tibia and fibula during last year’s East Final against the Montreal Alouettes. Dinwiddie originally speculated that he could return in Week 7 following Toronto’s first bye week, but the team has since passed that milestone with no notable change.
The 31-year-old pivot practiced in a limited capacity on Tuesday, as he has for the past several weeks, but was absent on Wednesday and Thursday. Dinwiddie would not indicate when he believes he’ll be ready to dress, choosing to take a cautious approach.
“It’s probably too early to say, I don’t have a clear-cut answer for that,” Dinwiddie said. “He was out here practicing; he was moving around. That’s the thing for me, I want to make sure he can move around and protect himself, so we’ve got to get him out on the practice field and then see where he’s at.”
“I’d say week-to-week. We’re just gonna see how he adjusts. We had him out for two practices this week, got him out on the field, see how he’s going to take that load, and then we can give him a full 60 on game day.”
When he’s not practicing, Kelly has been making the trek back across the border to his home in Buffalo to perform his own rehab independent from the team. Dinwiddie acknowledged that the setup is unusual, though not unprecedented, and that the organization believes this strategy will be the quickest way to get him back in uniform.
“He’s got a personal trainer he’s been making really good progress with over the last six weeks. He’s comfortable over there working with him, and we wanted him to be comfortable and get the work done he needs to do to get him on the field,” he said.
“He’s comfortable with that trainer, and then when we started going back to him, he really made good progress. We feel like that’s the fastest way to get him back on the field.”
Kelly completed 67.8 percent of his passes for 2,451 yards, 10 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in eight starts last season after missing the first nine games due to suspension. He was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2023 after throwing for 4,123 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
The Argos have struggled without their star signal-caller, stumbling to a 1-5 record. The team has been wracked by injuries, particularly along the offensive line, where right tackle Ryan Hunter will be out six to eight weeks after being hit by a vehicle on his way to practice. His replacement, Anim Dankwah, will also be out for the season after tearing his ACL in his first start.
Nevertheless, Dinwiddie has confidence in his team’s ability to respond despite the continued absence of their offensive leader.
“The locker room hasn’t turned on each other. We’re not pointing fingers, but I think everybody’s worried about doing their job better. It takes all 12,” he said. “We’re obviously disappointed with where we’re at. I think some guys are really shocked by it, too. But at the same time, we’re paid professional football players. You’ve got to move on to the next one to find a way to get a win.”
Toronto’s next opportunity will come on Saturday, July 26, when they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (3-2) at BMO Field. Kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT.
John Hodge is a longtime Canadian football reporter, insider, and podcaster for 3DownNation. Based in Winnipeg, Hodge is also a freelance television and radio broadcaster and curling reporter for Rock Channel.
