Over the last few weeks, it’s been perhaps the most asked question about the Toronto Argonauts, “Will Wynton McManis be ready for the playoffs?”
It’s a great inquiry, as the weakside linebacker was injured in a game in Calgary five weeks ago. While his status for the Eastern Final on November 13th is still up in the air, the Argos just had another question answered about an injured star player, getting the news that few thought possible.
Andrew Harris is once again practicing with the team and will be back for next weekend’s game.
“It was a longshot,” the running back admitted to Argonauts.ca. “I talked to four doctors when I initially got hurt. After talking to some different people, there have been people who have recovered in this time frame to get back for playoffs. I had a very similar injury in 2011 and I got back in three-and-a-half months.”
Harris was injured in a game in Hamilton in mid-August. When it was learned he had suffered a torn pectoral muscle and the tear was larger than anticipated, everyone thought his season was over, including Harris himself, as evidenced by a post on his Instagram account from August 17.
“My 2022 season will be done on the field. I’m looking forward to continuing to be a leader and helping to push my squad from the sidelines to greatness.”
While the Winnipeg native prepared for the worst, he didn’t stop pushing himself, clinging to the slight chance that he could return for the playoffs; a longshot at best, but a dream that has come to fruition.
A couple of weeks after surgery he tried blood spinning, a treatment that allows a patient to have their blood spun in a centrifuge. After the platelets and plasma are isolated, they’re combined to produce a platelet-rich plasma and injected back into the patient’s body to help improve the speed of recovery.
It paid off.
“I felt like I was really on the fast track,” he explained. “I was getting strength and range of motion back really quickly. If you talk to Josh (Head Athletic Therapist Josh Shewell) and the training staff, I was really pushing it more than they were comfortable with, but I really wanted to put my best foot forward to try to get back for the playoffs.”
Knowing that the procedure had worked for others in the past was a major motivational tool for the 35-year old. He’s remained actively involved with the team, essentially becoming an additional coach on the sidelines for A.J. Ouellette, the man who took over as the starting running back, and who played well enough to be named the East Division’s All-Star despite only starting for half a season.
“A.J. has been playing unreal,” Harris said, smiling broadly. “Our o-line has been playing unreal as well. Everyone has taken strides throughout the season. I’ve been in this game for a lot of years, so I know I can come in and contribute. If you look back to last year, I missed the last few weeks and jumped in for the Western Final and had a great game (23 carries for 136 yards and a touchdown). I have full faith that I can come in again and I can complement A.J.”
Imagining the possibilities of having Harris, Ouellette and Javon Leake all in the lineup for the Eastern Final is tantalizing. Harris and Oullette are both effective runners, fantastic pass catchers, and devastating blockers. Leake’s speed and elusiveness provides yet another option out of the backfield for Head Coach Ryan Dinwiddie and his offensive coaching staff.
It will certainly give either Montreal or Hamilton – Toronto’s opponent in the Eastern Final – something to think about without having the benefit of film to see how the trio of running backs may be utilized.
How the Alouettes or Ticats prepare for the return of number 33 isn’t the most important part of the story. The main thing for the Argos is that the six-time all-star and three-time Grey Cup champion is back on the field wearing Double Blue.
And that return comes at the perfect time.