This wasn’t speculated to be Nick Arbuckle’s second.
The 31-year-old quarterback was become a CFL journeyman, altering groups in every of the previous 5 seasons, and he is solely performed north of the border for six years whereas proudly owning a damaging landing touchdown-to-interception ratio in his profession — making his efficiency on this Gray Cup Sunday all of the extra legendary.
Arbuckle stepped into the limelight with poise and confidence, giving the Toronto Argonauts precisely what they wanted from the game’s most vital place on the way in which to a 41-24 championship-clinching victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Arbuckle threw for 252 yards, two touchdowns and accomplished 26 of his 37 go makes an attempt, en path to incomes Gray Cup MVP honours.
Taking the stage with each of his kids to simply accept the trophy, Arbuckle admitted he was “a couple of weeks away from calling it quits” when the chance to hitch the Argonauts for a second time in his profession got here up.
“It makes me recognize the journey a lot as a result of all of the issues I went by means of and all of the issues I realized, the robust occasions, the great occasions, the gamers and coaches that I used to be blessed to be with at every cease alongside the way in which all taught me a lot and ready me for this second and for this group,” Arbuckle stated. “To be the very best individual, participant, teammate, chief, dad, husband that I may probably be… I could not have carried out this at every other time in my life.”
His first passing rating got here within the third quarter, with the sport tied at 10. Arbuckle faked a handoff and hit Kevin Mital on a display simply previous Toronto’s 20-yard line earlier than the receiver scampered previous two Winnipeg defenders and into the top zone.
Arbuckle’s second landing marked the second it grew to become evident that the Argonauts have been on the precipice of pulling off the upset. Up 17-16, the quarterback dropped again and located the sport’s Most Excellent Canadian, Dejon Brissett, simply over the purpose line for a 17-yard completion.
After dropping Chad Kelly to a damaged ankle within the East Closing, Arbuckle was thrust into the beginning function this week with every part on the road.
Within the common season, he served because the Argonauts’ main QB in three contests and totalled 799 passing yards and 4 touchdowns over the 5 video games during which he threw a go.
