Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly, the nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, has been suspended by the Canadian Football League for violating the league’s policy on gender-based violence.
On Tuesday, CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie announced that Kelly will be suspended for at least nine games in the upcoming 2024 season after a third-party investigation found that Kelly “clearly violated” the league’s gender-based violence policy. The CFL launched an investigation into Kelly in March, shortly after a former Argonaut coach filed a lawsuit claiming they were wrongfully fired after being harassed by Kelly.
Kelly, who was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player last season, will also have to undergo counseling with a gender-based violence expert and confidential assessments by an independent expert before being reinstated.
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“Mr. Kelly’s suspension is the direct result of his conduct,” Ambrosie said in a statement Tuesday. “The additional mandatory counseling focuses on his need for self-reflection and understanding of his actions. He must fully utilize this opportunity for personal improvement in order to be eligible to return to the CFL.”
According to the wrongful termination lawsuit obtained by The Canadian Press, a strength and conditioning coach accused Kelly of making “unwanted romantic advances” toward her that escalated to “threats.” The former employee said her contract with the team was not renewed shortly after she informed team management of Kelly’s behavior.
“Players are the ambassadors of our great game,” Ambrosie added in a statement Tuesday. “They are expected to be leaders in the locker room and role models in the community. It was important that we did our due diligence to properly examine this matter from all angles. This in-depth investigation found that Mr. Kelly clearly violated the CFL’s gender-based violence policy.”
The 2024 CFL regular season begins on June 6 and will consist of 18 games, meaning Kelly will miss at least half of the season in addition to the entire preseason being suspended.
Kelly, who played at the collegiate level at Clemson (2012-2013), East Mississippi Community College (2014) and Ole Miss (2015-2016), was selected by the Denver Broncos with the last pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and became Mr. Irrelevant that year. After a brief stint with the Indianapolis Colts, Kelly signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in February 2022 and helped the team win the Grey Cup that season. Kelly signed a three-year, $1.865 million contract in August 2023, becoming the highest-paid player in the league.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chad Kelly suspended 9 games by CFL’s Toronto Argonauts for harassment
