CFL leaves door open for Argos' quarterback Bethel-Thompson playing in East final
Head coach Ryan Dinwiddie will have to wait until Sunday to learn who the Toronto Argonauts' starting quarterback will be in the East Division final.
The Argos held starter McLeod Bethel-Thompson out of practice and sent him home Friday after he attended the Toronto Raptors' 97-93 home win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night. Bethel-Thompson's appearance violated the CFL's COVID-19 protocol, which prohibits players from attending large sporting events.
Usually, that would've meant Bethel-Thompson having to quarantine for four days and provide two negative tests before being able to resume team activities. But Toronto hosts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the conference final Sunday afternoon at BMO Field.
On Friday, the CFL said Bethel-Thompson will be allowed to play Sunday if he produced negative PCR tests Friday and Saturday as well as a negative Rapid Antigen Test on Sunday following a 48-hour quarantine at his residence.
Argos Dexter McCoil, Charleston Hughes, Llevi Noel and Jeff Richards also attended the basketball game and were sent home by the team Friday. The CFL said the four players will be subject to the same requirements as Bethel-Thompson in order to suit up Sunday.
The CFL leaving the door open for Bethel-Thompson and the other Argos to play was a huge relief for Dinwiddie, who's completing his first season as Argos head coach.
"That's good news, I think I'll sleep better at night," he said. "You kind of get a pit in your stomach when you find out what happened.
"As a coach you kind of look after everybody else . . . it's good news. I just would feel horrible for Mac if he couldn't compete in the game Sunday."
Bethel-Thompson, 33, was 7-2 as the starter this season as Toronto (9-5) finished atop the East Division to secure home-field advantage for the final. The Argos won three-of-four regular-season meetings with second-place Hamilton (8-6).
If Bethel-Thompson can't play Sunday, backup Antonio Pipkin will go under centre for Toronto. The six-foot-three, 225-pound Pipkin started the Argos' season-ending 13-7 home loss to Edmonton on Nov. 16, completing 10-of-22 passes for 111 yards and an interception while rushing for 78 yards and a TD on nine carries.
Pipkin also has previous starting experience with the Montreal Alouettes.
Dinwiddie knows all too well what it's like to be thrust into the starting lineup. His first CFL start was in the '07 Grey Cup game for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after incumbent Kevin Glenn was injured late in the East Division final.
Dinwiddie had a TD pass but also threw three interceptions in a 23-18 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Rogers Centre.
"The thing for me is I had the whole week to prepare to be the starter," Dinwiddie said. "If Mac can't play and we have to go with Pip, he'll have the one day (Saturday) and didn't have the whole week to get mentally focused and ready to go out Sunday and play well.
"I think anytime you get thrown into the fire it's not an ideal situation but that's why we're professionals. We have to find a way to get it done and find a way to get a win."
That will mean burning the midnight oil with Pipkin and Toronto's offensive coaches to ensure the Argos are prepared should the worst-case scenario come about. And also remaining in touch with Bethel-Thompson virtually.
"A little bit of a distraction but I think our guys are honed in and understand the importance of the game," Dinwiddie said. "We had a good talk after practice . . . you just have to find ways to overcome the adversity.
"We've had to do that (virtual meetings) all year."
Dinwiddie was unable to shed any light on why Bethel-Thompson and the other Toronto players were at the basketball game, given the CFL's COVID-19 protocols. Both the Argos and Raptors are owned by Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment.
"I think it was an honest mistake," said Dinwiddie. "We're trying to do our best to follow all the protocols and rules.
"I just think we're trying to promote the game and promote the league at the same time to get some fans in the seats and make it a good thing."
Video of Bethel-Thompson holding his infant daughter at the NBA game was carried on the Argos' Twitter account Thursday night but was no longer available Friday. However, it was up long enough for Hamilton receiver Brandon Banks to notice.
"Wow when I tried to go to Raptors game the CFL told me I couldn't go!" Banks tweeted.
Bethel-Thompson also appeared on TSN's broadcast of the Raptors-Bucks game. TSN is the CFL's broadcast partner.
"So lemme get this straight," TSN's Kayla Grey, who interviewed Bethel-Thompson during the broadcast, tweeted Friday. "a starting quarterback goes on a national broadcast to promote an East Final that he is now forced to miss because the league is forcing him to quarantine for going to a game to promote said East Final?
"Baby what a mess."
TSN and CTV News are both divisions of Bell Media.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.