McLeod Bethel-Thompson will not return to the Toronto Argonauts, reports TSN’s Farhan Lalji.
After leading the Argonauts to the Gray Cup last season, Bethel-Thompson will spend the 2023 season with the USFL’s New Orleans Breakers.
Lalji reported earlier this month that Bethel-Thompson had informed the Argonauts that he planned to play football in 2023, but whether or not that was in the CFL had yet to be decided.
Toronto head coach Ryan Dinwiddie kept the quarterback on contract last week and would give his decision a deadline.
Bethel-Thompson had a career season at Double Blue in 2022. The San Francisco native threw for a career-high 4,731 yards, 23 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. The fourth-year boatman completed 19 passes for 299 and two touchdowns in the Argos’ 34-27 win over the Montreal Alouettes in the Eastern Final.
Bethel-Thompson left the 109th Gray Cup against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers with a dislocated thumb. Rookie Chad Kelly took over quarterback duties for the crucial third quarter at Regina. The 34-year-old threw 203 yards before retiring.
Bethel-Thompson, a two-time Gray Cup champion with the Argonauts (2017, 2022), has thrown for 13,261 yards, 70 touchdowns and 49 interceptions in 79 career CFL games.
