Tag: Nick Arbuckle

Unlikely hero Nick Arbuckle leads Toronto Argonauts to Grey Cup victory

A career backup quarterback led the Toronto Argonauts to victory in the Grey Cup

There are unlikely heroes in sports. You can add Toronto Argonauts quarterback Nick Arbuckle high up on the list.

The Argos quarterback Chad Kelly shattered his ankle in a semifinal meaning it was up to Arbuckle on Sunday against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup.

Despite having beaten Winnipeg twice since July 27 — the Bombers’ lone two losses since that date — Toronto came in a double-digit underdog.

Nobody told Arbuckle, who threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns as Toronto won the CFL championship, 41-24. He was named Grey Cup MVP.

Why was Arbuckle such an unlikely hero?

Per the Toronto Star:

Arbuckle, 31, had started 25 games in his CFL career.

He had thrown only 1,017 regular-season passes, with 27 touchdowns and 32 interceptions, and produced an 87.0 quarterback rating over stops with Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa again, and Toronto again. He didn’t have a contract before this season and was only signed by the Argos when Kelly was suspended for half the season.

Before the Grey Cup, Arbuckle had started one playoff game … in high school.

He was a backup and played tight end that year. His chance came in the playoffs and his team lost.

“I remember that a lot,” Arbuckle told the Star.

He will remember the 2024 Grey Cup a lot more.

CFL’s Nick Arbuckle says he’d have turned down Giants contract

CFL quarterback Nick Arbuckle worked out for the New York Giants in December and is now saying he’d have turned down any contract offer.

Back in December, the New York Giants held a very under-the-radar workout with CFL quarterback Nick Arbuckle.

The 26-year-old Arbuckle posted a record of 4-3 for the Calgary Stampeders this past season in place of injured starter Bo Levi Mitchell, completing 174 of his 238 passes for 2,103 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also ran 27 times for 76 yards.

As a pending free agent, Arbuckle made it clear that he’d like to earn a starting job in the CFL, but would also entertain NFL offers.

That offer never came. At least not from the Giants.

That’s A-OK in Arbuckle’s book as he recently told TSN radio 1200 in Ottawa that he’d have turned down the Giants’ offer anyway.

“Even if the Giants were to offer me a contract it’s not something that I would’ve done at that time within our current situation. Everything about this league and about this country has been so welcoming and so great for our family,” Arbuckle said.

“There was the opportunity presented to go workout for the Giants. It was still something that we had discussed and felt like we want to be in Canada, this is where we want our kid born and raised.”

Why Arbuckle took the workout when he clearly had no desire to move out of Canada is unclear, but in the end, it all worked out for him because the Giants had no interest in making an offer.

Due diligence by the Giants done, while Arbuckle remains in the CFL as he desires. A win-win.

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Report: Giants to workout CFL QB Nick Arbuckle

The New York Giants will work out CFL quarterback Nick Arbuckle later this month.

The New York Giants appear set at the quarterback position for the long-term, but that won’t stop them from doing their due diligence, especially considering both Eli Manning and Alex Tanney are likely to depart this offseason.

Accordingly, the team will host a slew of quarterback during one of their upcoming Tuesday workout sessions and CFL gun slinger Nick Arbuckle will be among those in attendance.

The 26-year-old Arbuckle posted a record of 4-3 for the Calgary Stampeders this season in place of injured starter Bo Levi Mitchell, completing 174 of his 238 passes for 2,103 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also ran 27 times for 76 yards.

A pending free agent, Arbuckle, who signed with the Stampeders as an undrafted free agent in 2016 and briefly spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers at rookie mini-camp, has his sights set on becoming a starter in the CFL or a backup in the NFL (for now).

In 2015 with Georgia State, Arbuckle set a Sun Belt record with 3,368 passing yards along. He also set school records in completions (307) and touchdowns (28).

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