All eyes will be on veteran quarterback Kelly as Argos return from bye week

TORONTO - All eyes will be on Chad Kelly on Tuesday when the Toronto Argonauts return to practice after their bye week.

The veteran quarterback hasn't played this season due to a leg injury suffered in last year's East Division final. But there are definite signs the CFL's outstanding player in 2023 could return Saturday afternoon when Toronto (4-8) hosts the Edmonton Elks (5-7).

The most telling sign has come from Kelly himself.

Last week, Kelly, 31, posted a social media video of him in full uniform at BMO Field. At the end of it, the words, 'The Comeback,' appear on the screen with the date of Sept. 13, 2025 below.

That's when Toronto is scheduled to face Edmonton.

With Kelly sidelined, Nick Arbuckle has started all of Toronto's regular-season games this season. 

The 31-year-old American has performed admirably, leading the CFL in passing yards (3,828 yards) and 30-yard completions (24) and standing second in TD passes (23) despite being sacked a league-high 32 times.

Arbuckle has also completed 316 of 434 passes (72.8 per cent, third-best in CFL) with 10 interceptions. And he's also Toronto's second-leading rusher with 150 yards and two TDs as the Argos rank last overall on the ground (56.6 yards) although they've recently improved in that department with running back Spencer Brown (179 yards, six-yard average).

When Kelly was hurt, Arbuckle led Toronto to its 41-24 Grey Cup win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last November. He was named the game MVP after passing for 252 yards and two TDs with two interceptions.

Arbuckle rallied Toronto to a stunning 35-33 Labour Day win over Hamilton on Sept. 1. His 62-yard completion to Dejon Brissett set up Lirim Hajrullahu's game-winning 11-yard field goal after the Ticats scored a TD with 18 seconds remaining to move ahead 33-32.

And in Toronto's 52-34 home win over the B.C. Lions on Aug. 23, Arbuckle threw for a career-high 443 yards and three TDs.

Over his last six starts, Arbuckle has completed 166 of 224 passes (74.1 per cent) for 2,137 yards with 14 TDs and two interceptions - but not in his last three contests. Toronto is 3-3 over that stretch, including two straight wins.

The six-foot-one 216-pound Kelly suffered a fractured right tibia and fibula in Toronto's 30-28 East Division final win over Montreal last year. Kelly began the '25 season on the one-game injured list but went on the six-game list in late July, where he has remained.

Kelly initially appeared on Toronto's injury report the first eight weeks of the season, either as being limited in practice or not practising at all, before going on the six-game injured list. He began reappearing before the Argos' contest Aug. 23 versus B.C., and over the next two weeks was again listed as limited or not practising.

Toronto didn't file injury reports last week because it was on a bye.

Initially, Ryan Dinwiddie, Toronto's head coach and offensive co-ordinator, often said Kelly was week-to-week although he also prioritized Kelly's full recovery over his being rushed back to play.

Dinwiddie has also stated often that Toronto's record wouldn't dictate Kelly's recovery timeline. There was a thought in football circles that if the Argos weren't involved in meaningful games when Kelly was finally ready to play, they might not put him on the field as a precaution.

However, Toronto remains very much in the East Division playoff picture with six regular-season games remaining. Hamilton (7-5) sits atop the standings with Montreal (5-7) in second, just two points ahead of both the Argos and Ottawa Redblacks (4-8).

Toronto still has home games remaining with Montreal (Sept. 19) and Hamilton (Oct. 4). The Argos split their two-game series with Ottawa but own the tiebreaker having outscored the Redblacks 71-62 in head-to-head meetings.

However, Montreal, Toronto or Ottawa must finish second to be assured of a playoff berth. That's because Edmonton and B.C. (5-7) are both tied for fourth in the West, thus a crossover remains very possible.

Toronto must also end the season in front of Montreal, which has already clinched the season series and would finish ahead of the Argos in the event of a tie.

Kelly is in his fourth season with Toronto. The native of Buffalo, N.Y. - who's also the nephew of former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly - has completed 471 of 697 passes (67.6 per cent) for 6,871 yards in 45 career CFL regular-season games with 35 TDs and 23 interceptions.

Kelly has also rushed 113 times for 599 yards (5.3-yard average) and 19 TDs. He was named the league's outstanding player in 2023 after passing for 4,123 yards with 23 TDs in helping guide Toronto to a CFL-best 16-2 mark.

Kelly has been part of two Grey Cup-winning Argos teams (2022, '24).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2025.