The Canadian Football League (CFL) announced today that three Toronto Argonauts – WR S.J. Green, C Sean McEwen, and OT Chris Van Zeyl – were named CFL All-Stars.
S.J. Green had a banner year in his first season with the Double Blue. A year after suffering a devastating knee injury with the Montreal Alouettes and being told he may never play again, Green defied the odds by catching 104 passes for 1,462 yards and 10 touchdowns. Those receptions and yards totals are far and away new career highs for the 11-year veteran. In Week 2 vs. Ottawa, he posted his first career regular season 200-yard game with 210 yards and a touchdown reception against the Redblacks.
Green was the most targeted receiver in the CFL this year (169) and he made the most of those opportunities as he finished the year ranked first in receptions of at least 20 yards (23), second in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. The former South Florida Bull finished the season moving up from 61st to 43rd on the all-time receiving list and currently sits at 8,088 yards for his career. Green took home four weekly Top Performer Awards in Weeks 1, 3, 9 and 17. This is Green’s second CFL All-Star nomination and his first since 2013.
Sean McEwen started every game in 2017 and has now played in every regular-season game in his two years with the Argos. McEwen, who played his university ball at Calgary, was a rock in the middle of Toronto’s O-Line opening big holes for breakout running back James Wilder to run through and giving Ricky Ray plenty of time in the pocket to spread the ball around. He helped solidify an Argo offensive line ranked third in the CFL with an average of 5.5 yards per carry and was penalized just once the entire campaign. McEwen’s first All-Star selection wraps up a decorated season for the second-year pro, after already being selected as the East Division’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman and the team’s Most Outstanding Canadian.
Chris Van Zeyl has been with the club since 2009 and is the Argo’s longest-tenured player having played in 139 games with 130 starts. Van Zeyl once again started all 16 games he played in this season helping anchor an offensive line that allowed the fewest sacks of any Argos team since 2012 (40). This is the McMaster product’s second career All-Star recognition after previously being honoured in 2013.