(Toronto) Toronto Argonauts head coach Ryan Dinwiddie says quarterback Chad Kelly will get the start Thursday against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The Canadian Football League reinstated Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly under conditions Sunday morning.
The move comes after the league suspended Kelly, last season’s MVP, for the Argonauts’ two preseason games and the first nine of the season for violating the CFL’s gender-based violence policy.
“The CFL has reinstated Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly on a last-chance agreement, subject to a number of ongoing conditions that he must continue to meet,” the league said in a statement.
“The mandatory conditions surrounding Kelly’s reinstatement reflect the need for him to demonstrate a continued commitment to upholding league standards.”
The league said the terms are confidential and will not be disclosed.
Kelly rejoined the Argonauts (5-4) on Sunday and participated in his first practice with the team. He will be eligible to play for Toronto (5-4) on Thursday night when they host the Roughriders (5-4-1).
“I am sorry for my actions and the impact they have had on many people, the Toronto Argonauts and the CFL,” Kelly said in a statement released by the Argonauts. “I recognize that this is just one step in the process of improving myself, but it is an important one, and I am committed to doing what is necessary to be a better teammate, colleague and person.”
With this commitment in mind, I have accepted the League’s terms of reinstatement, including its last-chance agreement.
Chad Kelly
The suspension followed an independent investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength and conditioning coach against Kelly and the Argonauts. The lawsuit was settled in June through mediation involving all parties.
Under the suspension, Kelly was required to undergo confidential assessments by an independent expert and attend mandatory counselling sessions conducted by a gender-based violence expert.
Counseling sessions and evaluations had to be satisfactorily completed before the CFL would consider Kelly’s reinstatement. The league reserved the right to vary its sentence.
Last weekend, the league announced that it had received Kelly’s confidential psychological evaluation and would complete a review of the results with the help of experts before making a decision on his reinstatement.
Kelly then participated in an in-person discussion with CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie.
“This is a significant milestone for Chad, who has taken full responsibility for his actions and it is just the beginning of his continued commitment to improve and learn from this experience,” said Argonauts general manager Mike Clemons. “There is still much work to be done to strengthen our team culture and we are all committed, with Chad back, to working together as a team.”
The Argonauts’ 39-25 home victory over the Calgary Stampeders on August 9 marked the team’s ninth game of the season.
“The Argonauts and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment take this situation extremely seriously, consistent with our unwavering commitment to maintaining a work environment where individuals are treated with respect and dignity and free from discrimination and harassment,” said Keith Pelley, President and CEO of MLSE.
“The organization will implement a comprehensive training program, focused on this issue, to ensure that all team members and staff are adequately equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect themselves against this issue occurring in the future.”