The

1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...

Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), based in Toronto, Ontario ...

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 The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West division. They play their home games at IG Fiel ...

in the Eastern Final and qualified for the

79th Grey Cup The 79th Grey Cup was the 1991 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Toronto Argonauts and the Calgary Stampeders at Winnipeg Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Argonauts defeated the Stampeders 36–21 in an entertaining g ...

. Toronto defeated the

Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-old ...

in a rematch of the 1971 Grey Cup, winning their 12th

Grey Cup championship The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...

by a score of 36-21.

Offseason

In February 1991, the Argonauts were purchased by

Bruce McNall Bruce Patrick McNall (born April 17, 1950) is an American former Thoroughbred racehorse owner, sports executive, and convicted felon who once owned the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian ...

Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...

and

John Candy John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994) was a Canadian actor and comedian known mainly for his work in Hollywood films. Candy rose to fame in the 1970s as a member of the Toronto branch of the Second City and its '' SCTV'' ser ...

. In April 1991, the Argonauts signed

Raghib Ismail Raghib Ramadian "Rocket" Ismail (born November 18, 1969) is an American former American and Canadian football wide receiver and kick returner. He played college football at Notre Dame before moving on to both the Canadian Football League (CFL) ...

to a four-year contract worth 18 million dollars. The Ismail signing included four million dollars upfront.Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.114, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, 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. Ismail would have 64 receptions, 1,300 receiving yards, and 9 touchdowns.

Preseason

Regular season

Matt Dunigan Matt Dunigan (born December 6, 1960) is an American broadcaster and former professional football player and executive. He is a Canadian Football League (CFL) sportscaster for Canadian sports television channel TSN. Dunigan is a former quarterb ...

became the Argonauts new quarterback. Dunigan would miss 10 out of 18 regular season games due to injury.Weird Facts about Canadian Football, p.105, Overtime Books, First Printing 2009, 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. The Argonauts attendance improved from 30,500 to 37,120 fans per game. Despite winning the Grey Cup and the increase in attendance, the Argonauts lost three million dollars.

Standings

Player stats

Passing

Schedule

* †

Canadian Football Hall of Fame The Canadian Football Hall of Fame (CFHOF) is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is maintained by the Canadian Football League (CFL). It includes displays about t ...

Game

Postseason

Grey Cup

* During Grey Cup week, Raghib Ismail embarrassed the team by not showing up to the Meet the Players breakfast. * Despite numerous injuries, Matt Dunigan would throw two touchdowns in the final quarter to lead the Argonauts to victory. Toronto Argonauts (36) – TDs,

Ed Berry Ed Berry (born September 28, 1963) is a former defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) and all-star in the Canadian Football League (CFL). After playing at Utah State University, Berry was picked in the seventh round of the 1986 NF ...

Darrell K. Smith Darrell Karland Smith (November 5, 1961 – February 13, 2017) was a wide receiver in the Canadian Football League for the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos. He played college football at Central State University. Early years Smith att ...

, Raghib "Rocket" Ismail,

Paul Masotti Paul Masotti (born March 10, 1965) is a former professional Canadian football player and current front office executive with the Canadian Football League Toronto Argonauts. Masotti played the wide receiver position for 12 seasons with the Toronto ...

; FGs

Lance Chomyc Lance Chomyc (born March 2, 1963) is a former placekicker from 1985 to 1993 for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. In 1986 and 1991, he was a CFL All-Star. He was most recently an English teacher at Bear Creek Secondary Schoo ...

(2); cons., Chomyc (4); singles Chomyc (2). Calgary Stampeders (21) – TDs, Danny Barrett,

Allen Pitts Allen Pitts (born June 28, 1964) is a former receiver for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League from 1990 to 2000. He attended Cal-State Fullerton and played his entire professional career as a receiver for the Calgary Stampeders. ...

; FGs,

Mark McLoughlin Mark McLoughlin (born October 26, 1965) is a former placekicker in the Canadian Football League for the Calgary Stampeders from 1988 to 2003 and the BC Lions in 2005. He won three Grey Cups for the Stampeders in 1992, 1998, and 2001, and was the ...

(2); cons.,

McLoughlin McLoughlin is one of nearly two dozen Anglicisms for three Gaelic-Irish surnames: Mac/Nic Lochlainn (most commonly Anglicised ''McLaughlin''), Ó/Ní Maoilsheachlainn (usually ''McLoughlin'' or ''M'Loughlin''), and Mac/Nic Lochnaigh (usually ren ...

(2); single.

. 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)

Awards and honours

* CFL's Coach of the Year –

Adam Rita Adam Rita (born September 21, 1947) is a gridiron football coach & general manager, most notably in the Canadian Football League. He has served as the head coach of the Toronto Argonauts, Ottawa Rough Riders, and BC Lions and as general manage ...

* Grey Cup Most Valuable Player, Raghib Ismail

1991 CFL All-Stars

* WR – Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, CFL All-Star * OG –

Dan Ferrone Dan Ferrone (born April 3, 1958) is a former professional Canadian football player. He played with the Toronto Argonauts for 8 seasons, interrupted by one season with the Calgary Stampeders, in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was an offens ...

, CFL All-Star * DT –

Harold Hallman Harold Hallman (December 10, 1962 – December 23, 2005) was a Canadian Football League defensive tackle who played eight seasons in the CFL, mainly for the Toronto Argonauts. Hallman was a four-time All Star and won a Grey Cup with Toronto in 19 ...

, CFL All-Star * DE – Mike Campbell, CFL All-Star * LB –

Darryl Ford Darryl Ford (born June 22, 1966) is a former gridiron football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at New Mexico State. Early years Ford was born and grew ...

, CFL All-Star * DB – Don Wilson, CFL All-Star * P –

Hank Ilesic Henry "Hank" Ilesic (born September 7, 1959, in Edmonton, Alberta) is a former all-star punter in the Canadian Football League. He also handled place kicking and kickoffs. He was twice an all-star punter and played in the CFL for 19 seasons. He pl ...

, CFL All-Star * K –

, CFL All-Star

References

External links

Toronto Argonauts official site

Friends of the Argonauts (Official fanclub of the Toronto Argonauts)

Argonauts forum at cfl.ca

History of the Toronto Argonauts to World War I

Argonotes, the Toronto Argonauts Band site
{{1991 CFL season by team Toronto Argonauts seasons James S. Dixon Trophy championship seasons Grey Cup championship seasons