December 31, 2012

Argos Extend Og Joe Eppele Through 2014

ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF

TORONTO –  The Toronto Argonauts Football Club is thrilled to announce that non-import OG Joe Eppele has avoided free agency and extended his contract with the club through the 2014 season. Eppele was the Argos’ first pick, second overall, in the 2010 CFL Canadian Draft.
 
Commented Argonauts General Manager, Jim Barker, “Joe is a young, talented player who stepped in during the playoffs and did a very good job for our team. He continues to develop his skills and has made great strides towards becoming the player we believed he’d eventually become when we drafted him in the first round. Securing quality, young Canadians, like Joe, will help us build upon our Grey Cup championship and ensure our team is positioned for long-term success.”
 
The Argonauts selected Joe Eppele second overall in the 2010 CFL Canadian Draft. The 25 year old, who played at Washington State, has since played in 43 regular season games, four playoff games and hoisted the Grey Cup trophy for the first time in the 100th Grey Cup championship. Eppele played in all 18 regular season games, with eight starts, for Toronto this season. He also started both playoff games as well as the team’s Grey Cup victory at left guard.
Commented Joe Eppele, “I wanted to extend my time in Toronto because I love this city, and even the locker room feels like home. My teammates are like family and I believe that winning the 100th Grey Cup with them was just the beginning of more great things to come. I’m excited to continue working with my charity program, Big Joe’s Little Giants, and to continue to be here with my family who live in the GTA. I believe this is the best decision for me both on and off of the field.”
 
Eppele grew up in British Columbia but now lives in Toronto yearround. Big Joe, as he’s known to friends and teammates, has been a player ambassador for the club’s Huddle Up Bullying Prevention program, presented by Tim Hortons, in each of the past two off-seasons, and has started his own program named “Big Joe’s Little Giants” which sees him work closely with a local centre for abused women and children.