Although the Toronto Argonauts opened their 2026 season with a loss to the Montreal Alouettes, there was one overwhelming takeaway from the club’s debut: quarterback Chad Kelly looked like he never left.
Speaking with Candid Frank, 3DownNation reporter Griff Bordignon praised Kelly’s performance after returning from a lengthy absence, noting that a new CFL fan would never have guessed the quarterback hadn’t played meaningful football in nearly 600 days.
While Toronto ultimately fell to Montreal, Bordignon believes the defeat had more to do with correctable mistakes than fundamental flaws.
Special teams miscues—including a blocked punt returned for a touchdown—along with breakdowns in the secondary proved costly against one of the CFL’s top contenders. Bordignon also pointed to missed defensive assignments that allowed Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander to capitalize against aggressive coverages.
Still, there was plenty to like.
New head coach Mike Miller’s aggressive philosophy was evident throughout the contest, while running back Deonta McMahon provided a consistent ground attack that Toronto lacked for much of last season. Bordignon also highlighted Canadian receiver Kevin Mital, who continues to emerge as one of the league’s premier Canadian pass catchers after signing a contract extension.
“He has a chance to be one of the better Canadian receivers in the entire league this year,” Bordignon said while discussing Mital’s growing importance within Toronto’s offense.
Looking ahead, Bordignon stressed the importance of Toronto surviving its difficult early-season schedule while BMO Field remains unavailable due to FIFA World Cup-related renovations. With seven of the Argonauts’ first eight games away from home, he believes reaching the midway point of that stretch at 3-4 would leave Toronto well positioned for a playoff push.
Beyond the Argonauts, Bordignon described the 2026 CFL season as one of the league’s most balanced in recent memory. With established quarterbacks throughout the league and narrow betting spreads nearly every week, he argued there are “no easy games” this season and that every club has a legitimate path toward competing for the Grey Cup.
For Toronto, however, the immediate focus remains simple. If Chad Kelly continues playing at the level he displayed in his return, and the Argonauts can clean up their special teams and defensive mistakes, the defending East Division contenders could quickly find themselves back in the hunt.
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