Ryan Dinwiddie committed to Chad Kelly as Argos’ starting QB after suspension

Photo: Timothy Matwey/3DownNation & Reuben Polansky/3DownNation. Photo edit: 3DownNation.

The Toronto Argonauts remain committed to Chad Kelly as the team’s starting quarterback if and when he’s reinstated by the CFL and returns from suspension.

“Looking at last year’s cut-ups and the way Chad played, there’s not been quarterback play in this league like that in a long time,” head coach Ryan Dinwiddie told 620 CKRM. “We’ve got to make sure he’s ready to play. Is he physically ready to play? Is he mentally ready to play? We’ve got to analyze all that stuff but when Chad comes back, he’s our starter.”

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. He is currently away from the team after his attendance at rookie camp in May drew criticism from multiple female employees in the CFL.

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.

Kelly elected not to appeal his suspension after withdrawing himself from training camp. According to Dinwiddie, Kelly has been complying with the terms of his punishment, though the Argos have no say in whether or not the star signal-caller obtains his reinstatement.

“It’s out of our hands,” Dinwiddie acknowledged. “He’s doing all the stuff as far as what the league’s asked him to do, owning the situation, trying to learn from it and get better. There’s a lot that goes into it.”

In February, a former team employee filed a lawsuit with the Ontario Superior Court, alleging Kelly “repeatedly sought to initiate romantic connections” with her throughout the 2022 and 2023 seasons. She claimed Kelly escalated his harassment last November when he publicly accused her of being romantically involved with another player, which sparked a verbal altercation, an incident she alleges led to the team not renewing her contract.

Kelly filed his defence in the lawsuit and 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.”

In the team’s defence filing, 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.”

The lawsuit was settled in June to the satisfaction of all parties and none of the allegations against Kelly or the Argonauts 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 six claims made against the quarterback, including “sexual harassment as defined by the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act.”

General manager Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons took responsibility for his team’s alleged mishandling of the harassment claims following Kelly’s suspension. Despite public backlash caused by the allegations, the Argos have remained steadfast in supporting the face of their franchise.

“We feel like Chad’s our starting quarterback, he’s not in the building right now,” Dinwiddie said. “He’s watching the film from home, we’ve got him on the internet with all the practice notes and all that stuff. He’s learning as much as he can through his situation.”

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, 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.

The 30-year-old last saw the field on November 11, 2023 — the same week several key allegations we said to have taken place. Kelly threw four interceptions and fumbled once in a stunning upset loss to the Montreal Alouettes in the East Final, later claiming he suffered a concussion during the game.

The earliest the Ole Miss product can be cleared to return by the CFL is Week 12 when the Argos host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday, August 22. Until then, the team is focused on keeping him engaged at a distance.

“Mike Miller talks to him more than anybody, his position coach, and then I’ll talk with Chad as well. We just want to make sure that he’s in the right frame of mind, doing what he needs to do,” Dinwiddie explained.

“It’s tough to miss football games. When you’re injured, you kind of understand it, but it’s always tough even then. When you’re missing football games and with how much Chad loves it, I know it’s eating at him a little bit. We always try to have that open line of communication that makes him feel he’s still part of the team.”

Backup Cameron Dukes has guided Toronto through Kelly’s absence, posting a 2-2 record as the starter. He has completed 80-of-113 passes for 873 yards with five touchdowns and five interceptions, but was pulled in the team’s Week 5 loss to Saskatchewan after throwing four picks.

Dinwiddie was complimentary of his young pivot prior to that outing but left the door open only a crack for him to stay on the field past game number nine — if Kelly gets reinstated.

“Cam is playing good football. If Chad comes back and Cam’s still playing good football and we’re rolling, maybe it’s both of them playing until Chad feels like he’s in rhythm,” he said. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”

The Argonauts (2-2) continue the season without Kelly on Thursday, July 11 when Toronto visits the Montreal Alouettes.

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