TORONTO – The Canadian Football League announced today the team winners for the 2022 CFL Awards. The players were selected by voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and CFL head coaches.
East and West Division winners will be announced on Thursday, November 3, 2022.
The 2022 CFL Awards will be handed out Thursday, November 17, 2022 in Regina during Grey Cup week.
Toronto’s nominees include:
Most Outstanding Player: McLeod Bethel-Thompson
Bethel-Thompson, Toronto’s nominee last year as well, is having the best season of his career for the first-place Boatmen. The fifth-year pivot leads the CFL with 4,731 passing yards, almost 600 more than the next closest QB and sits third in touchdown passes with 23 and first in completions with 387. M B-T also leads the league in pass plays of 30 or more yards with 26 and is second in 300-yard games with five. The California native has started all 17 games thus far and steered the Argos to back-to-back East Division crowns for the first time since 1996-997.
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman: Dejon Allen
Allen, in his second season in Toronto, has started 15 of 17 games at the right tackle position, missing one game due to injury and one for the birth of his child. The Hawaii alum has anchored the right side of Toronto’s offensive line allowing time for McLeod Bethel-Thompson to throw and opening lanes for the likes of running backs Andrew Harris and AJ Ouellette, who have combined for over 1,000 yards rushing.
Most Outstanding Canadian: Kurleigh Gittens Jr.
Gittens Jr., also the team’s nominee for this award in 2021, is in the midst of an outstanding campaign having hauled in 81 catches for 1,1101 yards and five touchdowns, all career highs by a wide margin. The third-year Argo is fourth in receptions league-wide, sixth in receiving yards, first in yards after the catch and tied for first in touchdown receptions. Gittens Jr. also leads the Argos in every major statistical receiving category. The Ottawa native is the fourth Canadian to have 1,000 receiving yards in a season in the last decade.
Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Wynton McManis (Unanimous)
McManis, in his first season with the Double Blue, was having the best season of his CFL career before an injury in Week 17 ended his regular-season. In 14 games played, the Memphis, Tennessee native amassed 88 defensive tackles, seven special teams tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble and two interceptions, including a game-sealing pick-six during the Touchdown Atlantic game vs. Saskatchewan. The four-year CFL veteran ranks fourth in the league in total tackles and fourth in total defensive plays made.
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: Daniel Adeboboye
Adeboboye, Toronto’s third pick in the 2022 CFL Draft (second round – 15th overall), has been a menace on special teams this season totaling 17 tackles on punts and kickoffs, good for fifth best in the CFL. The Toronto native has also carried the ball seven times for 32 yards and caught two passes for 13 yards.
Most Outstanding Rookie: Gregor MacKellar
MacKellar, Toronto’s first-round pick in the 2022 CFL Draft, has stepped right into his CFL career and made an immediate impact on a first-place team. The St. FX alum has played 15 games at left guard, including 11 starts helping fortify a line that has battled through its fair share of injuries. MacKellar becomes the second Argos O-lineman to be up for this award after centre Peter Nicastro was the East’s nominee last season.