He’s a man who wears his heart on his sleeve; who leads the Toronto Argonauts on and off the field and is now just 60 minutes away from reaching the pinnacle of his sport.
Quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson already has a Grey Cup ring. He was the third stringer behind Ricky Ray and Cody Fajardo when the Argos defeated Ottawa 27-24 in a blizzard in Ottawa. He dressed in that championship game, but never got on the field.
Five years later there is zero question that this is his team.
Bethel-Thompson is a man of many talents, and almost as many nicknames; Mac, M B-T, McBeth and The Law Firm are some of the handles he’s acquired. His teammates refer to him as their leader.
The San Francisco native found a big enough hole in his jam packed schedule to sit down with Argonauts.ca and was asked about his leadership qualities, and why his teammates should trust him in that role when the team runs out of the tunnel on Sunday to compete against Winnipeg for the 109th Grey Cup.
“Because they know I’m going to put the work in,” he said. “I’ve had a really long journey to get to this moment. I’ve put everything I possibly can into each moment. I’m going to put my heart on the line for them and do everything I possibly can to win this game. I’m just going to do my job and do it to the best of my ability. The reason I play this game is to earn the respect of my brothers.”
He has.
The QB has also earned the respect of those around the league, though in some cases grudgingly.
Bethel-Thompson led the league with 26 touchdown passes in 2019, but critics said he couldn’t win. When the team won the regular season East Division crown in 2021, critics said he could win, but couldn’t win the big game and his stats weren’t good enough.
This year he led the league with 4,731 passing yards, guided the Argos to a first-place finish in the East, then to a win in the Eastern Final, but there are still some who haven’t bought in.
It’s one of the strangest stories in recent years. M B-T has all of the qualities that should make him a fan favourite. He’s likeable, is cliché free, is one of the most interesting players in the league and has a ton of talent.
The Sacramento State product’s long, winding road to this point is well documented. He’s been with ten teams in five pro leagues, including three tours of duty with the San Francisco 49ers and two each with the Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins.
In 2018 the starter’s job in Toronto was handed to James Franklin when Ricky Ray was injured; Bethel-Thompson became the starter in mid-season. The same thing happened in 2019. In 2021 Nick Arbuckle was the presumed starter, but again, M B-T won the job.
This season the starter’s job was his from the get-go, though many fans were calling for him to be replaced by Chad Kelly. The veteran had the confidence of the coaching staff and his teammates.
Through all of that, the 34-year old is playing the best football of his career and is now just 60 minutes away from playing the role of a Sherpa guide and leading his teammates to the CFL summit.
“There would be no better feeling in the entire world than to watch my teammates, my brothers, hoist the trophy with a smile. It’s not about me touching it, it’s not about me holding it, it’s about watching Henoc (Muamba) and Andrew (Harris) and Phil (Blake) and Dariusz (Bladek) and Wyn (McManis) and Kurleigh (Gittens) and DD (DaVaris Daniels) – and by my naming some of them I’m doing the others an injustice – to see them raise the trophy. It would make my entire journey worth it.”
To make it happen, the Argos will have to be able to execute at a high level in all phases of the game. As the starting quarterback, Bethel-Thompson will have to not only play well, but also will have to set a tone in the pre-game with his demeanor.
He’s ready for that.
“I feel great,” he said without hesitation. “I feel calm, I’m just filled with gratefulness and I’m excited for the opportunity. This is what we’ve been working all year for, this is why you go through those ebbs and flows of the season. You want to get to a place where you’re playing your best football at the right time, and you want to go against the best team and that’s what we have lined up in front of us.”
Perhaps the only thing that players have to deal with during a Grey Cup week is the break in their normal routine. This road trip isn’t one night, it’s five nights. There are many non-football commitments, especially for a starting quarterback.
Bethel-Thompson has been able to deal with those distractions.
“The thing is, you know it’s not going to be the same,” said the QB. “My whole film schedule is completely different. I’m watching it when I can. It’s all about taking every moment I do get to put that work in. Every moment that I’m not doing media or at an award show I have my iPad and I’m watching my iPad more that I have throughout the year. I’m working as late as I can before bedtime. I’m investing all I can in the game emotionally, mentally and physically and we’ll see what happens Sunday.”
The Argos have taken a businesslike approach to the week and that starts with their leader, both on and off the field.
Nothing that happens on Sunday will be due to lack of preparation.