Reigning CFL Most Outstanding Player Chad Kelly returned to practice on Sunday and will be available for the Toronto Argonauts’ Thursday clash with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but it’s unclear if he will start.
“We gave Chad the majority of [reps] today just because he needs it, he hasn’t been out there,” head coach Ryan Dinwiddie told the TSN following practice on Monday, refusing to name a starter.
“He showed a little bit of rust, just like anybody would not having practiced, that’s not in training camp. We’ll see how it’s gonna go.”
On Sunday, the CFL reinstated Kelly following a nine-game suspension for violating the league’s violence against women policy. He is on a last-chance agreement and must meet certain unspecified ongoing conditions to remain employed.
The 30-year-old quarterback, who will not address the media until Tuesday, will have just three days of practice to re-integrate into the offence. Dinwiddie acknowledged that the recent return of Nathan Rourke on a similarly short turnaround has given him pause about how to handle the situation. The Canadian star went eight-of-25 for 126 yards and two interceptions in a spoiled return on Sunday night.
“We’ll probably split a little bit of [the reps tomorrow]. I think Chad needs to get the majority of it just to see if he’s able to go and play at a high level,” he said. “I gotta see how tomorrow goes and make a decision from there. Maybe it’s a two-quarterback system?”
Kelly signed with 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 while throwing for 4,123 yards with 23 touchdowns and 12 interceptions plus carrying the ball 41 times for 248 yards and eight touchdowns en route to being named the league’s Most Outstanding Player.
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. That case was later settled out of court to the satisfaction of both parties but not before an independent investigation commissioned by the CFL corroborated three of six claims made against the quarterback, including “sexual harassment as defined by the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act.”
Dinwiddie remains confident in the franchise QB’s ability to make plays on the field but acknowledged that Kelly has work to do off of it.
“As far as being a football player, he’s always earned my trust, winning football games, doing the right things when it comes to that,” he said.
“But he’s got to make sure he stays away from, I guess, raising his temper. He’s just got to work at being a better person, make sure this mistake doesn’t happen again. And as the organization, we have learned a lot as well.”
Kelly last played in the East Final against the Montreal Alouettes on November 11, where he completed 21-of-36 passes for 246 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions in a stunning upset loss. Neither that nor the offseason controversy has diminished his stature in the eyes of teammates, who welcomed him back with open arms this week.
“The guys were very excited when they got the news. Right when he walked into the locker room, guys gave him a good roar. Guys were hugging him and stuff like that,” said Dinwiddie.
“I think the guys understand that he’s got to continue to improve as a person and work on those things that got him in the situation. I think those guys will understand he’s working at it, but we’re not at the finish line by any means. He went through the process of understanding he made a mistake and he’s learning from it. He’s got to continue to grow, to get better.”
The Toronto Argonauts (5-4) will host the Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-4-1) at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday, August 22.
