Starter Chad Kelly back with Argos after missing all of last season due to injury

GUELPH — After missing all of last season, waiting another week to open the 2026 campaign is no big deal for Chad Kelly.

Kelly returns under centre June 12 when Toronto opens its season visiting Montreal. It will mark the quarterback’s first action since suffering a serious leg injury in the Argonauts’ 30-28 East Division final win over the Alouettes.

Veteran Nick Arbuckle finished that contest, then earned MVP honours in Toronto’s 41-24 Grey Cup victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Kelly’s injury sidelined him for all of 2025. Arbuckle made 15 starts before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury as Toronto (5-13) finished third in the East Division, missing the CFL playoffs.

Being forced to watch Toronto struggle was a bitter pill to swallow for Kelly, the CFL’s outstanding player in 2023.

“It definitely was,” he said. “Every time you watch a snap, you’re asking, ‘What would you do? How would you react? What would you be thinking on this play?’

“You overthink it so much but that’s in your DNA … that’s playing ball. This is a special place to be, I love it, and I’m just thankful being back out here and having fun.”

Head coach Ryan Dinwiddie departed at season’s end to become the Ottawa Redblacks’ head coach and general manager. Mike Miller, Toronto’s quarterback coach from 2022-25, was promoted to replace Dinwiddie.

Miller will also be Toronto’s offensive co-ordinator and again work with Kelly. Miller said Kelly wasn’t hampered by the injury during training camp.

“He made some really great throws and some very consistent throws,” Miller said. “The thing we always stress and are encouraged with is his management and managing those game situations, which we stress with all of our quarterbacks.

“Chad just continues to go out and play and that’s all we’re focused on.”

Toronto shored up its offensive line with the off-season signing of guard Dakoda Shepley. The 31-year-old Windsor, Ont., native comes north following six NFL seasons with San Francisco (2020), Seattle (2021), Dallas (2022,), Indianapolis (2023) and the Cowboys again (2023-2025).

Last season, Toronto allowed the most sacks in the CFL (56) and had the fewest rushing yards (51.6 per game).

The receiving corps is minus Canadian Dejon Brissett (Calgary, free agent) and veteran American DaVaris Daniels (retired). But Americans Damonte Coxie (48 catches, 854 yards, six TDs), Makai Polk (1,024 yards in ’24) and Jake Herslow (59 catches, 756 yards, nine TDs) as well as Canadian Kevin Mital (102 catches, 886 yards, four TDs) all return.

Defensively, Ralph Holley’s return is welcomed. The six-foot-one, 285-pound defensive tackle was a key member of Toronto’s ’24 Grey Cup squad, finishing tied for the league lead in sacks (eight) before joining the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.

Defensive end Andrew Chatfield Jr. had a team-high seven sacks last season and should benefit from Holley’s inside presence.

Also back are linebacker Adarius Pickett and defensive backs DaShaun Amos and Robert Priester. Pickett was the East Division’s top defensive player in ’23 with the Argos before heading to Ottawa while Amos and Priester helped the franchise win Grey Cups in 2022 and ’24 but spent last season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Redblacks, respectively.

Pickett also reunites with Canadian linebacker Cameron Judge. The two were teammates at UCLA.

But veteran middle linebacker Wynton McManis, long considered the heart and soul of Toronto’s defence, is now with Hamilton. American Isaac Darkangelo, who had 82 tackles (60 defensive, 22 special teams), two sacks and two forced fumbles in 2025, takes over from McManis.

In addition to having an opening-week bye, Toronto will be away from BMO Field until August due to the World Cup. The Argos will practise in Guelph, Ont., and play “home” games in Regina (June 26), Winnipeg (July 10) and Hamilton (July 18) before hosting the Calgary Stampeders on Aug. 6.

Miller said Toronto isn’t dwelling upon its early-season situation.

“We’re going to be a cohesive unit,” Miller said. “We’re going to spend a lot of time together and so we embrace that.”

Kelly added great teams not only deal with adversity, but overcome it.

“In the CFL you have to focus on one game at a time, one play at a time and that’s definitely how we’re approaching this year,” he said. “When the time comes we’ll get back to BMO and hopefully we have a great record going in.”

Miller, in his first season as a head coach, has a clear vision regarding how he wants the Argos to play this season.

“Smart, fast and extremely physical,” he said. “We’ll talk more about (’26 team goal) as we get into the season.

“But our immediate goal all the time is to prepare with detail, execute with urgency and play very physical. It’s always about how we respond from one play to the next.”

SEASON SNAPSHOT

2025 record: 5-13, third in East Division.

Did you know?: The Toronto Argonauts have won the Grey Cup 19 times, the most in CFL history.

Key additions: OL Dakoda Shepley (NFL), DBs DaShaun Amos (Hamilton) and Robert Priester (Ottawa), LB Adarius Pickett (Ottawa), DLs Ralph Holley (Cleveland NFL) and Dewayne Hendrix (B.C.)

Key losses: HC Ryan Dinwiddie (Ottawa), WRs DaVaris Daniels (retired) and Dejon Brissett (Calgary), LBs Aaron Casey (released) and Wynton McManis (Hamilton), OL Anthony Vandal (released), RBs Deonta McMahon (Calgary) and Spencer Brown (released).

Players to watch: QB Chad Kelly, WRs Damonte Coxie, Makai Polk, Kevin Mital and Jake Herslow, LBs Pickett, Cameron Judge and Isaac Darkangelo, K Lirim Hajrullahu.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2026.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press