Toronto Argonauts quarterback Bryan Scott will end up several thousand dollars richer after this week’s Grey Cup — despite not throwing a single pass in a game since June.
Scott, who signed with the Argonauts ahead of this Sunday’s CFL championship game, must be feeling pretty good about getting the call back to his old team this week.
Originally released by the team in August, Scott was brought back in as the Argonauts’ third-string quarterback following Chad Kelly’s injury in Saturday’s Eastern Final.
By merely making the team’s Grey Cup roster, he’ll be netting $8,000 even if he doesn’t play a single down, as that is the base compensation offered to each player in the game.
But if the Argos win the big prize against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, he’ll pick up $16,000, as will each of his teammates on the active roster or injured list, such as Kelly.
The bonus figures are as per the league’s 2022 collective bargaining agreement, which also includes figures for player participation in other playoff games. By making the first round of the playoffs, each player nets $3,400, whether their team either plays or gets an automatic bye to their respective division final. The divisional final participants then get an extra $3,600 for that game.
Adding up all those numbers, CFL players who are on their team’s roster (or injured list) for three playoff games and who go on to win the Grey Cup can net $23,000 over the course of the three-week playoffs.
Given that the minimum annual salary for CFL players is currently $70,000, there’s definitely an incentive to earn nearly one-third of that back with a good playoff run.
The 111th edition of the Grey Cup will kick off Sunday, November 17, at 6 pm ET/3 pm PT at Vancouver’s BC Place. The Blue Bombers make their fifth-straight appearance in the game, though they’ve lost each of their last two appearances, including against the Argonauts in 2022.
The game will be broadcast on TSN and CTV, and the Jonas Brothers will perform at the halftime show.
- You might also like:
- All the FREE and fun things to do in Vancouver for Grey Cup Festival