Arbuckle to start Game 1 for Argos; X-rays to determine Kelly's status
Published
Nick Arbuckle to will start for the Toronto Argonauts in their regular-season opener next week as it remains unclear when Chad Kelly will be cleared to make his season debut.
Kelly is being held off his feet currently with an ingrown toenail. He will X-rays this week to determine whether he will open the season as a short-term backup or on the one- or six-game injured list.
Arbuckle, who was named Grey Cup MVP in Kelly's absence as the Argonauts defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in last year's title game, re-signed with the team in the off-season as Kelly's timeline for recovery remained unclear
Kelly incurred a serious leg injury in the third quarter of last year's East Final against the Montreal Alouettes when defensive end Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund landed on his right leg. Kelly was taken off on a stretcher and revealed later that night on social media he suffered fractures to his tibia and fibula, forcing him to undergo surgery. Kelly, who won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2023, was driven from Montreal to Toronto after the surgery.
The 31-year-old Buffalo native threw for 2,451 yards alongside 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions over nine games with the Argonauts in 2024, his third season with the franchise.
Kelly missed the first nine games of last season due to a suspension handed out by the CFL following an investigation regarding allegations made by the team's former strength and conditioning coach.
Arbuckle, 31, threw for 252 yards with two touchdowns and interception in a 41-24 victory over the Blue Bombers in the 111th Grey Cup. He signed a contract extension with the Argonauts in February.
The Argonauts kick off their 2025 season on June 6 in Montreal against the Alouettes.