Arbuckle throws for two touchdowns to lead Argos past Bombers 41-24 in Grey Cup

Nick Arbuckle threw two touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts to a 41-24 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup on Sunday. Toronto captured its 19th Grey Cup, the most in CFL history.

Back in May, Nick Arbuckle figured he was done with pro football and began making plans to move back to the U.S. and pursue coaching.

Six months later, the 31-year-old American is on top of the CFL.

Arbuckle threw two touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts to a 41-24 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup on Sunday. He was named the outstanding player in his first CFL championship start, which came about after incumbent Chad Kelly suffered a leg injury in last weekend's East Division final.

"You couldn't script this," Arbuckle said. "If everybody was to know everything, all the things we overcame as a family, from my whole life and football career to be here, it's God's work.

"I've been so fortunate to have the support and belief in me from my wife and everybody to just keep chasing it and persevering. Look at it now."

The six-foot-one, 213-pound Arbuckle began exploring his options outside football after remaining unsigned two months into CFL free agency. Toronto finally came calling May 19 after the CFL had suspended Kelly for the entire preseason and at least the first nine regular-season games for violating its gender-based violence policy.

"I'd already made calls and set up plans and found places to go move to," Arbuckle said. "That's kind of when God and opportunity has always come through for me, usually about the moment where I'm about to give up.