CFL.ca
TORONTO — The Toronto Argonauts have parted ways with three-time Grey Cup Champion and former Most Outstanding Canadian Ricky Foley, the team announced Friday.
Foley, 34, was set to enter his 12th CFL season and sixth with the Argos over two separate stints.
A national defensive end from Courtice, Ont., Foley moved back home to Toronto for the second time in his career after being traded to the Argos in 2015. In his last two seasons with the Argos, he recorded 69 tackles and 10 sacks in 32 games.
Toronto Argonauts defensive end Ricky Foley warms up before a game in Regina in 2016 (Matt Smith/CFL.ca)
After breaking into the league with the BC Lions as the fourth overall pick in 2006, Foley tried out for the NFL in 2010 following a career-best 12-sack season in 2009. He returned to the league part way through 2010, joining his hometown team in Toronto for eight games.
Foley’s third season with the Argos was likely his most memorable — despite recording only three sacks over 18 regular season games. That November, Foley played a role in the team’s historic 100th Grey Cup Championship on home field, earning Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian in the process.
Success followed the 6-foot-3, 243-pound defensive end to Regina the following season. Foley won his second straight Grey Cup in his first season in Saskatchewan, another historic win with the Riders winning their first championship as the host team at Mosaic Stadium.
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After tying a career-high with 12 sacks in 2014, Foley returned to the Argos in a trade that sent national linebacker Shea Emry to Saskatchewan.
Through 11 seasons, Foley has recorded 60 sacks and 346 defensive tackles over 182 games. On top of his three Grey Cup Championships (2006, 2012 and 2013) and Grey Cup MVP, he was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian in 2009.
From the Argos’ perspective, the move marks further change following the hiring of Jim Popp as the team’s general manager. Most recently, Popp has added Alan-Michael Cash to the defensive line and also brought back Brandon Whitaker at running back.
