Argos’ DL Charleston Hughes healthy scratch for Week 10 against Redblacks

Photo courtesy: Toronto Argonauts

The Toronto Argonauts made veteran defensive end Charleston Hughes a healthy scratch for their Week 10 match-up against the Ottawa Redblacks.

Hughes was not listed on the team’s injury report all week leading up to game day. He was named a team captain for the first time in his career prior to the season kicking off.

The 37-year-old has played in six games for the Argos in 2021, recording 17 tackles and two sacks. It’s a shortened 14-game regular season, but his streak of five straight years with a double digit sack total is in jeopardy.

He led the CFL with 16 sacks during the 2019 season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, adding 50 tackles, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one defensive touchdown in 17 games.

The six-foot-one, 246-pound pass rusher has led the CFL in sacks five times in his career: 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The two-time Grey Cup champion had spent his entire career in Calgary until he was dealt to Hamilton and then to Saskatchewan. Hughes was acquired in February 2018 when the Riders sent quarterback Vernon Adams to the Ticats.

The big-named pass rusher signed two-year contract with the Boatmen through the 2022 season, which included a $50,000 signing bonus, in February. For 2021, Hughes has a base salary of $73,000 with the hard money total checking in at $155,000.

Hughes has recorded 474 defensive tackles, 132 sacks, 30 forced fumbles with three interceptions and three touchdowns in 187 career games.