TORONTO — Chad Kelly will make his return to the lineup on Thursday, but the Toronto Argonauts quarterback knows he cannot take for granted the chance to get back to playing football.
Kelly spoke publicly Tuesday for the first time since being suspended by the CFL for two pre-season games and at least nine regular-season games for violating its gender-based violence policy.
Kelly expressed his regret for the mistake he made and the different people who were affected by his actions.
“I feel bad for the situation that happened,” said Kelly after practice at Lamport Stadium. “I’ve grown and learned from not only the past couple of months but every day I’m trying to get better.”
When asked if Kelly had spoken to the former strength-and-conditioning coach who filed a lawsuit that was settled in June through mediation, he declined to comment.
Under terms of the suspension, Kelly had to undergo confidential assessments by an independent expert and attend mandatory counselling sessions conducted by a gender-based violence expert. Both the counselling sessions and assessments had to be satisfactorily completed before the CFL would consider Kelly's reinstatement.
Kelly said that he has been doing more than what is being asked of him and has been working with MLSE, the team’s ownership group and coaches. He said that he is looking forward to getting back to working with youth programs in the community.
"I want to get it right," Kelly said. "I want to make sure everybody believes that I'm never going to do something like this again. I know I affected a lot of people, including the person. I just want everybody to know that I'm sorry, and I will be better, and I'll be a better teammate and person"
It will take some time to convince those who point to Kelly’s past issues south of the border, which led to him missing out on chances to play in the NFL. There was a point where Kelly almost didn’t have a career as a player until the Argonauts traded for his rights and brought him to the CFL in 2022.
Now, the 30-year-old prepares for his return to the Argonauts lineup as the starting quarterback, but he’s getting a clean slate. Part of his agreement with the league to get reinstated was on a last-chance agreement, which requires him to meet a number of ongoing conditions.
Head coach Ryan Dinwiddie made the news official after practice Tuesday. It was an expected move despite the short turnaround for the team’s game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday.
While there will be some who are happy to see Kelly return, Dinwiddie also knows that this situation isn't in the rearview.
“I’d like them to know that Chad sincerely apologizes, and he’s going through the process of getting better and learning from his mistake,” Dinwiddie said. “Chad is learning from it. He’s going to continue to grow, and that’s where we’re at right now.”
Without Kelly, the Argonauts were able to stay afloat with a 5-4 record, good enough for third in the CFL’s East Division, with Cameron Dukes and Nick Arbuckle at quarterback. It’s no secret that having Kelly return provides a boost to an Argos offence that ranks dead last in the league in passing yards per game.
Last season, Kelly threw for 4,123 yards and 23 touchdowns — leading the CFL with 10.5 yards per pass attempt — while adding another eight touchdowns on the ground. He was named the George Reed Most Outstanding Player after going 15-1 in his first year as a starter.
Fortunately for Toronto and Kelly, the team also has the best running game in the CFL, which should alleviate some pressure on Kelly to come in and do it all.
The last time Kelly stepped on a football field for a game was in the 2023 East Final against the Montreal Alouettes, and it was a game to forget for the quarterback and the Argos. He threw four interceptions in that game as the Argos saw their dominant season end in a 37-17 blowout.
So, how will the Argonauts handle shaky moments from Kelly in his return? Dinwiddie believes that having Mike Miller on the sidelines will be crucial, as the Argos quarterbacks coach was missing for the final six games of the season because of a personal illness.
“The great thing is we got Mike back. He missed the last six games of the year, and I think that affected Chad a little bit mentally,” Dinwiddie said. “Mike does a great job handling him on the sidelines, make sure he’s confident, and when we don’t play perfectly, let’s find a way to learn from it and then focus on the next play.”
Kelly’s return also means that a roster spot needed to be opened up for him and in order to accommodate his return, the Argos released Bryan Scott. The 29-year-old had dressed mainly as the team’s third quarterback but was a well-liked teammate and a fan favourite.
“We couldn’t put him on the practice roster, and we also can’t keep four quarterbacks,” Dinwiddie said about the decision to release Scott. “The salary cap was also involved in that decision as well. Brian did some good stuff for us, and we still believe in him. I mentioned to him today that I wouldn’t be shocked if we tried to bring him back at some point.”
