Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly was back taking snaps at Argonauts practice Sunday after being reinstated by the CFL, with conditions.
The league announced earlier Sunday that Kelly, the CFL含羞草研究社檚 most outstanding player last year, was clear to return from a suspension issued on May 7 含羞草研究社� which included Toronto含羞草研究社檚 two exhibition games and at least the first nine regular-season contests 含羞草研究社� for violating its gender-based violence policy.
含羞草研究社淭he Canadian Football League (CFL) has reinstated Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly on a last-chance agreement provided that he continues to meet a number of ongoing conditions,含羞草研究社� the league said in a statement.
含羞草研究社淭he ongoing mandatory conditions surrounding Mr. Kelly含羞草研究社檚 reinstatement reflect the need for him to demonstrate a continued commitment to upholding league standards.含羞草研究社�
The CFL said the conditions are confidential and won含羞草研究社檛 be disclosed.
The league suspension followed an independent investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against Kelly for sexual harassment and the Argos for wrongful dismissal. The lawsuit was settled in June through mediation involving all of the parties.
含羞草研究社淭his is an important step for Chad, who has taken full accountability for his actions and represents just the beginning of his ongoing commitment to bettering himself and learning from this experience,含羞草研究社� Argos general manager Mike (Pinball) Clemons said Sunday. 含羞草研究社淭here continues to be much work to do to strengthen our team culture and we are all committed with Chad含羞草研究社檚 return, to work on this together, as a team.含羞草研究社�
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Under terms of the suspension, Kelly had to undergo confidential assessments by an independent expert and attend mandatory counselling sessions conducted by a gender-based violence expert. Both the counselling sessions and assessments had to be satisfactorily completed before the CFL would consider Kelly含羞草研究社檚 reinstatement and the league reserved the right to modify his discipline.
Last weekend, the CFL announced it had received Kelly含羞草研究社檚 confidential psychological assessment and would complete an examination of the results with the help of experts before making a decision on Kelly含羞草研究社檚 reinstatement.
Kelly then participated in an in-person discussion with CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie.
Toronto含羞草研究社檚 39-25 home win over Calgary on Aug. 9 was its ninth regular-season game. The Argos returned to the practice field following a bye week.
Kelly, 30, hasn含羞草研究社檛 played with Toronto since its loss to Montreal in last year含羞草研究社檚 East Division final. He remained away from the team during his suspension and didn含羞草研究社檛 speak to media Sunday.
含羞草研究社淚 am sorry for my actions and the impact it has had on many people personally, the Toronto Argonauts and the CFL,含羞草研究社� Kelly said in a statement issued by the Argos. 含羞草研究社淚 recognize that this is just one step in the process of bettering myself, but it is an important one, and I am committed to doing what is needed to be a better teammate, colleague and person.
含羞草研究社淲ith that commitment in mind, I have accepted the League含羞草研究社檚 conditions of reinstatement, including its 含羞草研究社楲ast Chance Agreement含羞草研究社�.含羞草研究社�
Kelly took roughly 70 per cent of the starting offence snaps in Sunday含羞草研究社檚 practice, and head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said he plans to increase Kelly含羞草研究社檚 workload Tuesday before Toronto (5-4) hosts the Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-4-1) on Thursday night.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 hoping I get a clear indication of what I want to do (Tuesday),含羞草研究社� Dinwiddie said following the workout at the Ontario Soccer Centre. 含羞草研究社� (Tuesday) will be a heavy workload day, Day 2 is always our heavier day however it含羞草研究社檚 going to be a little bit heavier.
含羞草研究社淏ut it was good to have him back. His teammates were excited to see him back in the building.含羞草研究社�
Sunday含羞草研究社檚 session was a walk-through in helmets and shorts. But Kelly still showed very good velocity on his passes and the ability to thread the needle in tight quarters.
Dinwiddie said it might be asking a lot for Kelly to start Thursday with limited practices and no training camp. He left the door open to Kelly splitting reps with Toronto含羞草研究社檚 other two quarterbacks, Cameron Dukes and veteran Nick Arbuckle.
含羞草研究社淲e felt it was important to give Chad the bulk of it, the other guys have had a lot of reps and he has to get caught up to speed,含羞草研究社� Dinwiddie said. 含羞草研究社� We also understand Chad isn含羞草研究社檛 going to be perfect on game day but we含羞草研究社檝e also got to be ready to make a move and go with the other guys that have been playing.
含羞草研究社淚t might be by committee, it might not be (Kelly) the full game.含羞草研究社�
Kelly won 15-of-16 starts last season with Toronto, the 93.8 win percentage being the best ever by a player with at least 14 starts. He completed 270-of 394 passes (68.5 per cent) for 4,123 yards with 23 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while rushing for 248 yards and eight TDs 含羞草研究社� tied for second-most in the CFL 含羞草研究社� to earn league all-star honours.
He led Toronto to a league-best and franchise-record 16-2 record. But the Argos含羞草研究社� season ended with a 38-17 home loss to eventual Grey Cup-champion Montreal in the East final.
With Kelly suspended, Dukes and Arbuckle have handled snaps this season. Dukes started eight of the club含羞草研究社檚 nine regular-season games, posting a 4-4 record while Arbuckle won his only start.
And while Dukes sports a solid 72.1 completion percentage, he has thrown for just 1,398 yards with almost as many interceptions (six) as touchdowns (seven). Arbuckle has completed 42-of-68 passes (61.8 per cent) for 421 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
As a whole, Toronto含羞草研究社檚 offence has been inconsistent. It entered this week含羞草研究社檚 action seventh in offensive points scored (23.7 per game) and last in net offence (309.7), passing (210.9 yards per game), offensive penalties (37) and sacks allowed (23).
A bright spot, though, has been a CFL-best rushing attack (123.9 yards per game).
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
