Photo courtesy: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography
Assistant general manager John Murphy will not be returning to the Toronto Argonauts in 2026. Per league sources, his current contract with the team is set to expire at the end of 2025.
Murphy was originally hired by Toronto in 2019 and was elevated to vice president of player personnel after former general manager Jim Popp was fired. He helped build two Grey Cup championship teams during his tenure, while the Argos also finished 16-2 in 2023, setting a new franchise record.
He was suspended indefinitely by the CFL in December 2021 for allegedly being involved in a physical altercation with a Hamilton Tiger-Cats fan following the East Final, and was captured on video allegedly saying a homophobic slur. Murphy was later terminated by the Argonauts after an internal review into the incident. However, he was quietly brought back in April 2023 after his suspension was lifted by the league without a formal announcement.
Murphy was also mentioned by name in the lawsuit brought against the Argonauts and quarterback Chad Kelly by a former athletic trainer following the 2023 season. The plaintiff alleged that she informed the assistant GM of inappropriate conduct by Kelly in November 2023 and that he stated she “opened a can of worms that didn’t need to be opened.” The Argos and Kelly denied those allegations, and the lawsuit was later settled out of court.
A longtime CFL scout and executive, Murphy has previously worked for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Calgary Stampeders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers in football personnel roles. He won two Grey Cups during his eight-year stint with the Stampeders.
The Argonauts have made a number of significant moves to reshape their football operations department following the departure of head coach Ryan Dinwiddie to the Ottawa Redblacks. Mike Miller was hired as the team’s new head coach, and Canadian Football Hall of Famer John Hufnagel was brought over from the Calgary Stampeders to serve as a special advisor to him and general manager Pinball Clemons. Former Toronto GM Jim Barker is also re-joining the team in a still undisclosed player personnel role.
The Toronto Argonauts finished third in the East Division standings in 2025 with a 5-13 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Franchise quarterback Chad Kelly was unable to play all season due to a fractured leg he suffered in the East Final the previous year, giving way to Nick Arbuckle, who threw for 4,370 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions to be named the team’s candidate for Most Outstanding Player.
The Argonauts ranked seventh in net offence, sixth in net defence, and seventh with a turnover differential of minus-eight. The club’s leading rusher was Spencer Brown with 314 yards, the leading receiver was Dejon Brissett with 907 yards, and the leading tackler was Cameron Judge with 79 tackles. Toronto ranked ninth in attendance with average crowds of 15,109, which was a 0.1 percent decrease from the previous year.