TORONTO — There was no shortage of exciting football in 2024.
A season full of ups and downs for all teams ended in a 111th Grey Cup title for the Toronto Argonauts, but it was not a cruise control year for the champions, let alone the other eight teams.
“There are so many different moments I look back and say: man did that just really happen?” said Henoc Muamba in a conversation about the 2024 CFL season with Donnovan Bennett is this week’s edition of The Waggle Podcast. “You talk about the controversies in Edmonton at the quarterback position and the ups and downs of the BC Lions, to me that was extremely fascinating to see.”
The Green and Gold and the Orange and Black both had two quarterbacks taking the spotlight throughout the season. Edmonton shifted between McLeod Bethel-Thompson and Tre Ford, but it took time for the team to find an identity, ascending in the second half of the season in the AMSOIL Power Rankings despite not being able to make it into the post-season. BC meanwhile brought back Nathan Rourke halfway through the season after an injury to starter Vernon Adams Jr. The team then oscillated on their way to a third-place finish in the West Division and a Western Semi-Final exit.
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Another team that had a rollercoaster of a season was Winnipeg. After opening the season at No. 2 in the Power Rankings, the Bombers lost six of their first eight games in what seemed like a lost season before turning it around to make yet another run to the Grey Cup.
“The start that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers had and their resurgence in the middle of the season, coming back from nowhere,” said Muamba. “We all forgot about them – I know I did – and for them to come back and be where they ended up. I know we talk about them falling short in the Grey Cup, but when you look at the totality of the season you have to appreciate the journey that they took to get to where they got to.”
Finally, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats also experienced the highs and lows of an unpredictable 2024 season. The team lost nine of their first 11 games before winning five of their last seven and seeing their quarterback make it as a finalist for Most Outstanding Player.
“You look at the East and Bo Levi Mitchell, this is another guy who a lot of people were talking about how this might be the last year,” added Muamba. “He walked into the season with a boot on his leg and people said: ‘this might be it.’ He’s an older guy, he’s already an established future Hall of Famer, but he comes back and sets up some milestones and breaks some records. He obviously fell short of the playoffs but who knows what would’ve happened if he did enable his team to get to the playoffs. His story, his journey was also absolutely fascinating.”
Finally, the Toronto Argonauts played the first half of the season without starter Chad Kelly before making it all the way to the championship game and once again having to rely on their backup quarterback after an injury to Kelly in the Eastern Final. Nick Arbuckle stepped up and led the Argos to their second title in the last three seasons.
“And obviously you have to mentioned the former 16-2 record-tying season Toronto Argonauts,” said their former linebacker. “After the season they had last year, losing their starting quarterback in the first half, and having a guy like Nick Arbuckle who has been on a journey and went all over the place to finally end up back in Toronto. Was able to play well enough and lead his team to victory in the biggest game that mattered the most this past season, might have to look at that and his journey and it has to be one of the top (stories of 2024).”
After an eventful season, teams are already looking towards 2025 and the 112th Grey Cup. The Lions have made some changes, relieving Rick Campbell of his duties and promoting Ryan Rigmaiden to general manager and Neil McEvoy to vice-president of football operations. Ed Hervey meanwhile has been hired by new team president and CEO Chris Morris to be the Elks’ next general manager and vice president of football operations. Hervey was general manager in Edmonton from 2013-2016, designing the team that lifted the Grey Cup in 2015.
Finally, the Stampeders traded for Adams Jr. in hopes of getting back to the post-season after missing it in 2024. The Lions acquired Calgary’s 2025 round two selection (9th overall), 2025 round four selection (29th overall) and their round two selection in the 2026 CFL Draft. As part of the deal, Calgary also received a 2025 fourth selection (32nd overall) and round three selection in 2026.
“It is the beauty of the off-season, DB,” said Muamba. “And this one in particular is going to be, I want to predict it to be very very eventful.”
The 112th Grey Cup will be played at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg. That could potentially mean that the Blue Bombers are going all in to make it to their sixth straight Grey Cup and potentially celebrate at home.
“I’m talking about the last dance,” said Bennett. “I’m talking about one more time we’re running it back. We know that they are going to go all in, put the chips in the middle of the table when they are hosting the Grey Cup.”