By Megan Smith and Hawi Tulu
The Toronto Argonauts won the franchise’s 18th Grey Cup Championship last Sunday in a triumphant underdog 24-23 win over the back-to-back champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
It didn’t always look like the Argos were going to pull out the win as starting quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson dislocated his thumb on his throwing hand and backup Chad Kelly came into the game and led a game-winning drive to put the Argos in the lead and give them the eventual win.
Bethel-Thompson addressed the crowd remotely as he was unable to attend the championship ceremony as he was spending American Thanksgiving with his family.
“To play elite professional football, it takes the entire body, mind, and soul,” Bethel-Thompson said. “I miss my brothers. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there,” he said.
Bethel-Thompson finished the season with 4,731 passing yards and 23 passing touchdowns as he looks towards free agency this offseason but could possibly return to Toronto to win another Grey Cup.
Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie thanked Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) and Argos General Manager Michael “Pinball” Clemons for allowing him to coach the team.
“A lot of folks probably didn’t think this was the right hire…look at us now,” Dinwiddie said.
“We try to build a culture the right way, and everybody’s the same,” he said. “We’re all equals and we have a job to do and it counts on each one of us every day to get it done.”
Linebacker Henoc Muamba was named Grey Cup MVP and the most outstanding Canadian with three tackles and an interception in the championship win.
The former first-overall pick spoke to the crowd about how he and his teammates didn’t listen to the narratives surrounding the team ahead of the game.
“Many narratives were floating around, we weren’t good enough to win this Grey Cup championship. We wouldn’t be strong enough and we wouldn’t last and we wouldn’t bring this home to Toronto, but we didn’t listen to that,” he said.
Muamba told fans that many people underestimated them, and many doubted whether the Argos could withstand Regina’s cold November weather.
“The special thing about this team is that we were so resilient,” Muamba said. “We get that from the leadership that starts from the top and trickles down. Everybody that played a role in getting us here today.”
Muamba had an impressive year with Toronto as he finished second on the team in tackles with 76.
Jesse Kambakos, a die-hard Argos fan, said he was thrilled to witness the team make history by having 18 grey cup wins and their first since 2017.
“It’s great to be here at this rally and it feels pretty good,” Kambakos said.
“My grandpa was a big Argos fan, and he turned me into one,” he said. “This cup is for him.”