Former CFL star quarterback Nathan Rourke has voiced strong criticism against the league and the Toronto Argonauts regarding their handling of allegations against quarterback Chad Kelly, accusing him of sexual harassment against a former Argonauts strength coach.
The coach claims that Toronto management did not take her complaint seriously, leading to her dismissal in January after reporting the incident, ending her six-year tenure with the team.
Expressing disappointment, Rourke took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I’m disappointed with the lack of urgency expressed by both the @CFL and the @TorontoArgos. This issue must be viewed with the utmost seriousness and concern for the truth. What example are we setting for boys and girls across Canada if we can’t practice what we preach? #BeMORE.”
Rourke’s comments were in response to a Wednesday post from Sportsnet’s Arash Madani, who revealed that some CFL staff members had resigned over the league’s handling of the complaint. Madani reported that several league employees had expressed concern but received a dismissive internal memo before quitting their jobs.
The former Argos coach filed a lawsuit against Kelly on Feb. 21, with the story becoming public the following day. However, it took a week for the CFL to issue a statement announcing its own investigation, a delay that drew criticism within the league for sending a poor message to female employees.
CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie emphasized the importance of conducting a proper independent investigation at the time. The league’s policy on violence against women has been in place for nearly a decade, mandating action after any report of violence involving an employee.
In the lawsuit, the woman alleges that when she reported the harassment to Toronto management, she was told she had needlessly opened “a can of worms.” She claims Kelly made repeated advances over the past two CFL seasons, including asking her out and eventually becoming aggressive, yelling derogatory things in front of others.
She is suing Kelly for $50,000 and both the Argos and Kelly jointly for around $85,000, citing wrongful dismissal, plus $10,000 in punitive damages. None of the allegations have been tested in court, and neither the team nor the league has filed a defense.
The lawsuit was amended last week to include the “Bills Incident,” involving a proposed trip to a Buffalo Bills game in October 2022. According to the woman, Kelly offered to get her tickets but insisted she stay overnight with him and others, becoming aggravated when she obtained approval from Argos GM Michael “Pinball” Clemons. Shortly after, Kelly allegedly yelled and cursed her name in the quarterback meeting room.
The former coach claims that the harassment escalated last November, with Kelly planning movie or dinner dates and telling her they would only need 30 minutes. Despite these allegations, Clemons stated at the CFL combine in Winnipeg last month that the team was preparing for the 2024 season with Kelly as the starting quarterback.
