If there was one group that best exemplified the disappointment of the Toronto Argonauts 2025 season it was the special teams units; there were some great things accomplished, but with too many down moments sprinkled in.

Special teams coordinator Mickey Donovan is set to enter his fifth season with the Argos. In his time in Toronto, he’s been a part of two Grey Cup championship teams, while seeing Janarion Grant and Javon Leake win CFL Most Outstanding Special Teams Player awards. Last year Lirim Hajrullahu was the East’s nominee and made a strong case to make it three Argo winners in four years.

But there were costly mistakes in the mix; a last play, 99-yard, game-winning touchdown on a kickoff return against Saskatchewan, and a game in Winnipeg where Trey Vaval returned not one, but two kicks for touchdowns.

Donovan has reasons for the breakdowns, particularly early in the season.

“There were key players with injuries,” he explained from his home in New Hampshire. “A lot of younger players had to step in and try to fill some big shoes. Throughout the season there were rookies that took them a little while, but when they got going there were shining like a star like I knew they would. It was just the speed of the game that was different for them.”

The good news is that the three headliners are back. Hajrullahu and punter John Haggerty return, as does returner Grant. Hajrullahu set a team record with 57 field goals, while Haggerty tied his own Argo record with an average of 50.3 yards per punt.

Grant had a so-so season by his own high standard, posting punt and kick return averages slightly below his career norms. The veteran re-upped with the team in early February, giving his coach peace of mind.

“Anytime you get a player of his calibre back for another year it’s exciting,” said Donovan. “I know some people question his age (32), but the guy has a lot of life left in him and he wants to perform, he wants to be great every day. It’s a pleasure working with a guy like him who puts on the hardhat and comes to work looking to get better each and every day.”

It’s not just the high-profile players who will return. Unsung heroes like Isaac Darkangelo, Jack Cassar, Brian Harelimana, Thiadric Hansen, and Adam Guillemette were also eligible for free agency, but all opted to re-sign with the Double Blue.

That’s huge for the coach, who is optimistic that things will return to their normal level of success this year.

“It’s not just the players themselves,” Donovan explained, “It’s also communicating in the meeting rooms, preparing each and every day, making sure that we’re all on the same page and understanding what we need to do to execute the scheme. When you have enough guys around that have been in it (the system) before, it only makes it that much better and faster that you can hit the ground running coming out of camp.”

The coverage teams improved as the season rolled along, but the Argos simply gave up too many big plays early in the year and found themselves at the bottom of the league in both punt and kickoff return average allowed.

Having an outstanding special teams player like Adarius Pickett return to the fold will greatly help, along with the addition of new players, and the maturation of some of the younger players who played on special teams last year.

Donovan, a Laconia, New Hampshire native, has split his off-season between Toronto and his New England home and is heading to Edmonton this weekend for the CFL Combine. But there was another event that happened soon after the season ended; he interviewed for the Argos head coaching job.

“It was a great experience,” said the former head coach at Concordia, who was one of two coaches from last year brought back by Mike Miller, who was named head coach. “I felt very blessed and fortunate to be able to stay on the staff and be with the organization. I didn’t want to see myself leaving, I’m loving and enjoying every minute. I really love the people I work with. It’s more than just a job, with my family staying down here in the States, I look at (the Argos) as being my next family. I spend more time with them than I do with my own loved ones back here.”

Donovan’s appearance at the Combine is important. He’s been helping evaluate talent for next month’s CFL Draft and will also get a firsthand look at some of the players he thinks could be an asset on special teams.

There will be ample opportunity to add to his group as the Boatmen have 11 picks in the draft, including 6 of the first 31 selections, and 3 of the first 16, including the second overall pick.