Nick Arbuckle, the hero of last year’s Grey Cup, has a new challenge. Despite being MVP of the championship game, Arbuckle is in an open competition for the backup QB spot with the Toronto Argonauts. Head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said Arbuckle will compete with 3rd year pro Cameron Dukes to back up starter Chad Kelly as training camp opened Sunday.
For Arbuckle, it’s another chapter in his wild football ride—one that saw him go unsigned in free agency and then thrust into the spotlight late last season.
From Unsung Hero to Grey Cup MVP
Arbuckle’s 2024 season was anything but normal. After months of exploring life outside of football due to no interest from teams during free agency, he signed with the Argos on May 19 after Chad Kelly’s suspension. It wasn’t long before Arbuckle was in the starting lineup after Kelly broke his ankle in the East Division final against Montreal.
In the Grey Cup, Arbuckle was awesome, throwing for 252 yards and 2 touchdowns and leading the Argos to a 41-24 win over Winnipeg. He was MVP and capped off the year in style.
But Arbuckle isn’t resting on those laurels. “Last year was last year,” he said. “I think I celebrated that for about a week and brought the Grey Cup to my daughter’s school and made her a hero with all of her friends. But after that week was over, it was back to training and preparing for what’s to come next.”
He knows the pressure of defending a title. “Winning last year makes winning this year even harder. You can’t just rest on what you’ve done before.”
The Battle for Backup Behind Kelly
While Arbuckle’s Grey Cup heroics might seem like enough to secure the backup job, Dinwiddie says the position is still up for grabs. Chad Kelly, the CFL’s outstanding player in 2023, is still recovering from fractures in both his tibia and fibula sustained during the East final. Though expected to make a full recovery, Dinwiddie was cautious when talking about Kelly’s return timeline.
“Two weeks from now I’ll have a better answer for you,” Dinwiddie said. “I’d say it’s 50-50 at this stage. I don’t want to rush him back and we lose him for the whole year.”
If Kelly isn’t ready for Toronto’s season opener on June 6 in Montreal, either Arbuckle or Dukes could start. Both quarterbacks started games for the Argos last season when Kelly was out, with Arbuckle winning and Dukes going 4-4 in eight starts.
Familiarity Breeds Confidence
One of the pluses for Arbuckle is he knows the Toronto offence. Nine of the 11 starters from last year’s Grey Cup team are back, including veteran receivers DaVaris Daniels and Damonte Coxie, running back Ka’Deem Carey and tackle Ryan Hunter, the CFL’s top lineman in 2024.
“It’s a lot of guys who’ve been in this offence before, been in the system,” Arbuckle said. “We have three quarterbacks who’ve all started and won football games … it’s really cool as an offence to have all that from the get-go.”
But Arbuckle knows building chemistry early is key. Coming in midseason last year meant learning new faces fast, something he doesn’t have to worry about this time around.
“The biggest plus is having the camaraderie with the players and being able to build that from the start rather than coming in halfway through it all,” he said. “Now we’re kind of starting from scratch all together.”
A Renewed Appreciation for Football
After almost quitting football last offseason, Arbuckle now treasures every second of his comeback to the game.
At 31, he sees each training camp day as a gift. “I’ve been excited about this day for months,” he said. “When I thought last year I might not play football again, I realized what a privilege it is to still come out here. It’s a game for kids, and we get to play it.”
His fresh outlook drives his resolve to win the backup role—and maybe more if needed.
