The Toronto Argonauts’ starting quarterback in the 111th Grey Cup, Nick Arbuckle was contemplating his post-football reality after he was left unsigned in free agency.
The 31-year-old gave himself a timeline for hanging up his cleats and pursuing a coaching career after lingering on the open market through February, March, April and into May.
“I was 30-ish days away from doing that and luckily got this call to come to Toronto and compete for a role midway through training camp — never thought it would lead to this,” Arbuckle said.
He and his wife, Zakiyyah, had Canadian work permits that were going to expire. If those ran out, he was going to accept a position as a high school coach with the NCAA and NFL hiring cycles come and gone. Arbuckle needed to provide for his daughters.
“When I didn’t sign anywhere in February, I started making calls and text messages to coaches and players who I knew in the coaching field. Started getting a feel for where people were at and where jobs in the coaching world might be,” Arbuckle said.
After Chad Kelly fractured his right tibia and fibula in the East Final, the six-foot-one, 213-pound QB completed five-of-eight passes for 73 yards to help secure the Argos’ 30-28 win. Immediately after the game, head coach Ryan Dinwiddie named the journeyman as his starting QB for the CFL championship game.
Dinwiddie has changed the playbook for Arbuckle for the matchup with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers compared to what it would be for Chad Kelly. According to the 43-year-old bench boss, Arbuckle operated the same offence as Bo Levi Mitchell while in Calgary with the Stampeders.
Arbuckle did not play meaningful football in his first CFL season in 2018. However, he was ready in Week 3 the following year when Mitchell went down with a shoulder injury late in the fourth quarter. The Stamps were down 11 points to the B.C. Lions when the Oxnard, Cal. native entered the game.
He completed all nine passes he attempted for 93 yards with one touchdown pass to Eric Rogers and scored a major on the ground in a 36-32 final. The comeback was engineered inside the final three minutes with a certain offensive play-caller as his quarterback coach. That’s why Dinwiddie has confidence in his QB1 against the Bombers.
The focused approach Arbuckle has taken during Grey Cup week extends to his phone habits. He estimates having around 500 unread text messages and lots of unread X and Instagram DMs. His only use for his phone: calling his wife and kids back home in Ottawa.
“It could be a normal day in the middle of the year — I’m probably the hardest person in the world to get a hold of if you don’t live with me. I’m present, in the moment with the people I’m around. I’ll get to everybody else when I have the time,” Arbuckle said.
There will be lots of offseason time for responding to messages while Arbuckle’s hoping to extend his time as a player in the CFL. He could do that on Sunday, November 17 when the Argonauts face off with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 111th Grey Cup at 6:00 p.m. EST.
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