1991 Toronto Argonauts season

The 1991 Toronto Argonauts season was the 102nd season for the team since the franchise's inception in 1873. The team finished in first place in the East Division with a 13–5 record and qualified for the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year. The Argonauts defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Eastern Final and qualified for the 79th Grey Cup. Toronto defeated the Calgary Stampeders in a rematch of the 1971 Grey Cup, winning their 12th Grey Cup championship by a score of 36-21.

1991 Toronto Argonauts season
OwnerBruce McNall, Wayne Gretzky, and John Candy
PresidentMike McCarthy
General managerMike McCarthy
Head coachAdam Rita[1]
Home fieldSkyDome[2]
Results
Record13–5
Division place1st, East
Playoff finishWon Grey Cup
Uniform

Offseason

In February 1991, the Argonauts were purchased by Bruce McNall, Wayne Gretzky and John Candy.[3] In April 1991, the Argonauts signed Raghib Ismail to a four-year contract worth 18 million dollars.[4] The Ismail signing included four million dollars upfront.[5] Technically, Ismail was only being paid $110,000 a season to play football. The rest was a personal services contract with the intention that Ismail would become an ambassador for Canadian football.[5] Ismail would have 64 receptions, 1,300 receiving yards, and 9 touchdowns.[5]

CFL draft
Round Pick Player Position School
210J. P. IzquierdoTBCalgary
213Chris GreenTOttawa
318Bruce DicksonDBSimon Fraser
321Dave GiocomazzoGBoise State
429Mitch BrownTBEastern Michigan
534Tony ClarkeLBOttawa
537Mike LindleyLBWestern Ontario
540Matthew NealonWRSaint Mary's
645Steve RoestDLToronto
753Stefan SoulieresGNew Haven
861Rocky HansonFSDickinson State

Preseason
Game Date Opponent Results Venue Attendance
Score Record
A Wed, June 26 vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers L 15–29 0–1 SkyDome 31,196
B Tue, July 2 at Hamilton Tiger-Cats L 25–28 0–2 Ivor Wynne Stadium 13,612

[6]

Regular season

Matt Dunigan became the Argonauts new quarterback. Dunigan would miss 10 out of 18 regular season games due to injury.[7] The injuries included a pulled groin, pulled hamstring, and pulled calf muscle. In the Eastern final, Dunigan would break his collarbone in two places before halftime.[7] The Argonauts attendance improved from 30,500 to 37,120 fans per game.[5] Despite winning the Grey Cup and the increase in attendance, the Argonauts lost three million dollars.[8]

Standings
East Division
TeamGPWLTPFPAPts
Toronto Argonauts18135064752626
Winnipeg Blue Bombers1899051649918
Ottawa Rough Riders18711052257714
Hamilton Tiger-Cats1831504005996

[9]

Passing
PlayerGames PlayedAttemptsCompletionsYardsPct.InterceptionsLongTouchdowns
Matt Dunigan[10]8196121201161.7108716

Schedule
Week Game Date Opponent Results Venue Attendance
Score Record
1 1 Thu, July 11 at Ottawa Rough Riders W 35–18 1–0 Lansdowne Park 23,254
2 2 Thu, July 18 Hamilton Tiger-Cats W 41–18 2–0 SkyDome 41,178
3 3 Thu, July 25 Winnipeg Blue Bombers W 30–16 3–0 SkyDome 37,486
4 4 Thu, Aug 1 at BC Lions L 41–52 (OT) 3–1 BC Place Stadium 53,527
5 5 Fri, Aug 9 at Saskatchewan Roughriders W 37–35 4–1 Taylor Field 27,093
6 6 Thu, Aug 15 Saskatchewan Roughriders W 62–10 5–1 SkyDome 35,786
7 7 Wed, Aug 21 at Edmonton Eskimos L 39–53 5–2 Commonwealth Stadium 43,826
8 8 Tue, Aug 27 BC Lions W 34–25 6–2 SkyDome 39,508
8 9 Mon, Sept 2 at Hamilton Tiger-Cats L 24–48 6–3 Ivor Wynne Stadium 18,461
9 10 Sat, Sept 7 Hamilton Tiger-Cats W 52–25 7–3 SkyDome 36,102
10 11 Sun, Sept 15 at Stampeders L 24–33 7–4 McMahon Stadium 26,122
11 12 Sat, Sept 21 Edmonton Eskimos W 47–28 8–4 SkyDome 34,895
12 13 Sun, Sept 29 at Ottawa Rough Riders W 25–24 9–4 Lansdowne Park 26,172
13 14 Sat, Oct 5 Winnipeg Blue Bombers W 22–21 10–4 SkyDome 32,194
14 15 Fri, Oct 11 at Winnipeg Blue Bombers L 27–28 10–5 Winnipeg Stadium 30,760
15 16 Sun, Oct 20 Calgary Stampeders W 34–27 11–5 SkyDome 33,590
16 17 Sun, Oct 27 at Hamilton Tiger-Cats W 39–34 12–5 Ivor Wynne Stadium 17,453
17 18 Sun, Nov 3 Ottawa Rough Riders W 34–31 13–5 SkyDome 36,001

[6][11]

Postseason
Game Date Opponent Results Venue Attendance
Score Record
East Final Sun, Nov 17 vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers W 42–3 1–0 SkyDome 50,380
Grey Cup Sun, Nov 24 vs. Calgary Stampeders W 36–21 2–0 Winnipeg Stadium 51,985

[6]

Grey Cup
Main article: 79th Grey Cup
  • During Grey Cup week, Raghib Ismail embarrassed the team by not showing up to the Meet the Players breakfast.[12]
  • Despite numerous injuries, Matt Dunigan would throw two touchdowns in the final quarter to lead the Argonauts to victory.[13]
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Toronto Argonauts8381736
Calgary Stampeders734721

Toronto Argonauts (36) – TDs, Ed Berry, Darrell K. Smith, Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, Paul Masotti; FGs Lance Chomyc (2); cons., Chomyc (4); singles Chomyc (2).

Calgary Stampeders (21) – TDs, Danny Barrett, Allen Pitts; FGs, Mark McLoughlin (2); cons., McLoughlin (2); single. McLoughlin.

First Quarter
TOR – TD Berry 50 yard interception return (Chomyc convert)
CGY – TD Barrett 1 yard run (McLoughlin convert)
TOR – Single by Chomyc

Second Quarter
TOR – FG Chomyc
CGY – FG McLoughlin

Third Quarter
CGY – Single McLoughlin
TOR – Single Chomyc
CGY – FG McLoughlin
TOR – TD Smith 48 yard pass from Dunigan (Chomyc convert)

Fourth Quarter
TOR – FG Chomyc
CGY – TD Pitts 12 yard pass from Barrett (McLoughlin convert)
TOR – TD Ismail 87 yard kickoff return (Chomyc convert)
TOR – TD Masotti 36 yard pass from Dunigan (Chomyc convert)

[14]

Awards and honours

[15]

1991 CFL All-Stars

[15]

References
  1. "All-Time Coaching". Archived from the original on 2011-04-22. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
  2. "Toronto Argonauts Stadium History". Archived from the original on 2011-04-22. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
  3. Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.58, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3
  4. Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.59, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3
  5. Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.114, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3
  6. "1991 Toronto Argonauts". Retrieved 2010-11-07.
  7. Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.105, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3
  8. Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.61, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3
  9. "1991 Regular Season Standings". Archived from the original on 2009-09-23. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
  10. MATT DUNIGAN | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League Archived 2012-07-28 at the Wayback Machine
  11. "CFL ROUNDUP: Foggie, Argos defeat Tiger-Cats after overcoming 20-point deficit". Ottawa Citizen. 1991-10-28.
  12. Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.116, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3
  13. Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.107, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, ISBN 978-1-897277-26-3
  14. "1991 – Toronto Argonauts 36, Calgary Stampeders 21". Archived from the original on 25 April 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
  15. 2010 Toronto Argonauts Media Guide (PDF). 2010. p. 168. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 April 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
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