Chad Patrick Kelly, born on March 26, 1994, is an American professional football quarterback currently playing for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). His journey through football has been marked by challenges, perseverance, and ultimately, success.
Chad Kelly with the Toronto Argonauts in 2023
Early Life and High School Career
Kelly was born to Charlene Cudzylo and Kevin Kelly. He spent his early years in Western New York, near where his uncle, Jim Kelly, played professional football. Notably, Jim Kelly was a quarterback with the Buffalo Bills (1986-96) and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame; he was 2874-4779 passing for 35,467 yards and 237 touchdowns in his career.
Chad Kelly was a consistent strong performer in Punt, Pass, and Kick competitions as a youth, becoming a national champion four times. Regarding Chad's early football career, a football coach once said, "Being Jim Kelly's nephew has been harder for him than it has helped him. A lot is expected of him because he’s Jim's nephew." Jim Kelly said of his nephew, "Athletic ability, Chad has more than I had", with "a freaking rocket for an arm".
Kelly attended St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, where he showcased his talent. As a senior, he passed for 3,050 yards and 27 touchdowns while rushing for 991 yards and 14 touchdowns. As a junior, he passed for 2,159 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushed for 1,059 yards and 15 touchdowns, leading his team to the state championship game as a junior and senior, winning the state title as a junior.
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Chad Kelly
College Career
Clemson Tigers (2012-2014)
Rated as the #84 overall player and #4 quarterback in the nation as well as #1 player in New York by ESPN.com, Kelly initially committed to Clemson University. He red-shirted in 2012.
In 2013, as a first-year freshman, he was the third-string quarterback. He recovered from a torn ACL in the spring to contribute in 2013. Kelly was 10-17 passing for 58 yards in 55 snaps over five games, completing 58.8 percent of his passes. He also had 117 rushing yards and one touchdown on only 16 carries. However, his time at Clemson was cut short due to off-field issues, leading to his departure from the program.
Here's a summary of his 2013 season:
| Date | Opponent | Passing | Rushing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 7 | S.C. State | 2-6, 11 yards | 2 carries, 6 yards |
| Sept. 28 | Wake Forest | 1-1, 6 yards | 2 carries, 3 yards |
| Oct. 5 | Syracuse | 1-1, 6 yards | 2 carries, 28 yards |
| Nov. 2 | Virginia | 5-7, 27 yards | 7 carries, 56 yards, 1 TD |
| Nov. 14 | Georgia Tech | 1-2, 8 yards | 3 carries, 24 yards |
East Mississippi Community College (2014)
After leaving Clemson, Kelly transferred to East Mississippi Community College, where he spent one year.
Ole Miss Rebels (2015-2016)
Kelly committed to Ole Miss and played his first game on September 5, 2015, against UT Martin. He completed 9 for 15 pass attempts for 211 yards and two touchdowns while adding a 20-yard rushing touchdown. On September 19, 2015, he led Ole Miss to a 43-37 victory over No. 2 Alabama, completing 18 out of 33 passes for 341 passing yards and 3 passing touchdowns. On November 7, 2015, Kelly accounted for 478 total yards and six touchdowns against Arkansas.
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He helped lead Ole Miss to a 48-20 victory over No. 16 Oklahoma State in the 2016 All-State Sugar Bowl, winning Sugar Bowl MVP Honors after accounting for 21 completions out of 33 passes for 302 passing yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. Kelly also led the team with 73 rushing yards on 10 carries. Kelly finished his first season with Ole Miss with 298 of 458 (65.1%) completions for 31 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Kelly returned for his senior season in 2016.
Professional Career
NFL Draft and Denver Broncos (2017-2018)
Kelly was selected by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round, 253rd overall, the last selection in the 2017 NFL draft, making him that year's Mr. Irrelevant.
Going into mini-camps for the 2018 season, he would compete with 2016 first-round draft pick Paxton Lynch for the backup quarterback role behind newly acquired Case Keenum. However, Kelly's time with the Broncos was marred by off-field issues, leading to his release from the team in 2018.
Indianapolis Colts (2019-2020)
The Indianapolis Colts picked him up the following year, but he was cut a month into the season. Kelly spent time on and off the Colts' practice squad before being released in 2020.
Toronto Argonauts (2022-Present)
After being out of professional football for more than a year, Kelly signed a CFL contract with the Toronto Argonauts in the 2022 offseason.
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Kelly spent the 2022 season as the Argonauts' backup quarterback, playing sparingly in short-yardage situations or garbage time. He got one start in the final week of the season before going back to his backup spot for the playoffs. Then, in the fourth quarter of the Grey Cup with the Argos trailing 23-17, Kelly found himself thrust into action after an injury to starting quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson.
Kelly started the Argos 2023 campaign as the starting quarterback, with a 32-14 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. On August 31, 2023, Kelly and the Argos agreed to a three-year contract extension worth a total of $1.865 million, making him the highest paid player in the league. The team would go 16-2 though lost to the eventual champion Montreal in the East final.
“It was life-changing, honestly,” Kelly said. “A lot of people kind of wrote me off, and thought I wasn’t even playing. The biggest moment of my career, obviously, is that moment. Every kid dreams about being able to bring the team back in the fourth quarter and being able to lead them to a victory in the championship game. It was proof that Kelly could be the Argonauts' starting quarterback of the future."
That patience from the Argonauts has paid off in a big way. The team is 4-0 to start the 2023 season. Their offense is averaging 38.8 points and 401 yards per game, both of which lead the CFL. Their defense is one of the best in the league. Kelly himself is having a breakout season. His 90.4 overall grade leads the CFL. He’s shown that he can be a near-unstoppable dual-threat quarterback, as his passing grade (84.2) and rushing grade (87.0) both rank second at the position. Kelly is not only proving he belongs as a CFL starter but also that he belongs in the Most Outstanding Player award discussion.
Personal Life and Controversies
Kelly's younger brother Casey also played quarterback for St. Joe's. In December 2014, Kelly was arrested following an altercation outside of a Buffalo, New York, nightclub in which he fought with bouncers and resisted arrest. In early 2024, Kelly was named in a wrongful dismissal lawsuit by a former Toronto Argonaut coach, with allegations that Kelly had made attempts of "unwanted romantic advances and escalating into instances of threatening language" leading to the coach’s dismissal upon reporting the incidents.
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