Nick Arbuckle’s night didn’t go as planned. The 31-year-old quarterback had become a CFL journeyman, bouncing between teams in each of the past five seasons. With a negative touchdown-to-interception ratio over his 6-year career north of the border, few could have predicted the performance he was about to deliver on the biggest stage.
But on this Grey Cup Sunday, Nick Arbuckle stepped up and seized the moment, leading the Toronto Argonauts to a 41-24 championship-clinching victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Arbuckle earned the title of Grey Cup’s Most Valuable Player for his courageous and effective performance.
Thrust into the starting role after the Argonauts’ regular season QB Chad Kelly suffered a broken ankle in the East Final, Arbuckle showed poise and confidence, giving Toronto exactly what they needed. He threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns, completing 26 of his 37 pass attempts.
As he stood on stage with his two children to accept the trophy, an emotional Arbuckle said, “It makes me appreciate the journey so much because all the things I went through and all the things I learned, the tough times, the good times, the players and coaches that I was blessed to be with at each stop along the way, all taught me so much and prepared me for this moment and for this team.”
Arbuckle’s first touchdown strike came in the third quarter, when he faked a handoff and found Kevin Mital on a screen pass. Mital scampered past two Winnipeg defenders and into the end zone to tie the game at 10-10.
Later, with the Argonauts clinging to a 17-16 lead, Arbuckle delivered the game-winning touchdown. He dropped back and fired a 17-yard touchdown pass to Dejon Brissett, the game’s Most Outstanding Canadian, to put Toronto up by 8 points with just over 7 minutes remaining.
“To be the best person, player, teammate, leader, dad, and husband that I could possibly be… I couldn’t have done this at any other time in my life,” Arbuckle said, reflecting on his winding journey to this Grey Cup triumph.
In the regular season, Arbuckle served as the Argonauts’ primary quarterback in just 3 games, totaling 799 passing yards and 4 touchdowns. However, when the playoffs beckoned, Arbuckle stepped up to make his first postseason start of his career.
This was the Argonauts’ 19th Grey Cup title, and their second in the last three seasons. For the Blue Bombers, it was a tough defeat, as they were seeking their third straight championship. Quarterback Zach Collaros, the only player to make 5 straight Grey Cup starts, struggled, throwing 4 interceptions.
In the end, it was the unheralded Arbuckle who stole the show, cementing his place in CFL history and delivering the Argonauts their latest championship. The journey may have been long and winding, but for one shining moment, Nick Arbuckle was the toast of Canadian football.