Grey Cup MVP Arbuckle re-signs with Toronto Argonauts

Toronto Argonauts quarterback Nick Arbuckle (4) lifts the Grey Cup after defeating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in CFL football action at the 111th Grey Cup in Vancouver on Sunday, November 17, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

TORONTO — Nick Arbuckle is remaining with the Toronto Argonauts.

The ’24 Grey Cup MVP re-signed with the CFL club Tuesday. He was slated to become a free agent next week.

The six-foot-one, 213-pound Arbuckle completed 26 of 37 passes for 252 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in Toronto’s 41-24 Grey Cup win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Nov. 17. He was named game MVP in his first CFL championship start, which came about after incumbent Chad Kelly suffered a season-ending leg injury in the East Division final.

Arbuckle was thinking about life after football last year when he remained unsigned two months into CFL free agency. Toronto finally came calling May 19 after the league suspended Kelly for the entire pre-season and the first nine regular-season games for violating its gender-based violence policy.

Arbuckle made just one regular-season start for Toronto, a victory. But when Kelly, who was reinstated by the CFL in August, was hurt in the Argos' 30-28 East Division final win over Montreal, head coach Ryan Dinwiddie immediately named Arbuckle his Grey Cup starter.

Toronto posted a 5-4 record during Kelly’s absence, with Cameron Dukes going 4-4 in his eight starts. The Argos finished with a 10-8 record to take second in the East Division behind Montreal (12-5-1).

Arbuckle enters his seventh CFL season, having spent time with Calgary (2018-19), Toronto (2021), Edmonton (2021-22) and Ottawa (2022-2023) before rejoining the Argos.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2025.