The Toronto Argonauts announced today the team had re-signed Grey Cup Hero and Canadian Defensive Linemen Robbie Smith to a two-year deal.
Argos’ defensive coordinator Corey Mace is getting back an essential piece of his defence back next season. Robbie Smith. The emerging star defensive lineman was set to hit the open market in free agency on February 14th.
Toronto now has 21 impending free agents; two of those players are veteran defensive ends JaGared Davis and Shane Ray. Both could depart the Six. As a result, because of his age, upside, and national status. Re-signing Robbie Smith was of utmost importance this off-season.
Smith’s heroics in the Grey Cup is the stuff of legends, and it was the ultimate example of the ancient football mantra for players of having a “next play mentality.” Within minutes, Robbie Smith went from hero twice to goat and then back to eternal heroic status.
With two minutes left in the Grey Cup, and Winnipeg looking to rally down only one point. The Bombers had possession of the football with a third consecutive championship within reach. Robbie Smith sacked Zach Collaros to set up a third-and-13. He’d get to the Winnipeg quarterback again for a championship-sealing sack – but he was flagged for inadvertently grabbing Collaros’s facemask.
The accidental penalty gave the Bombers new life, And nearly killed the Argos’ chances of defying a dynasty. As a result, for better or worse, Robbie Smith would have been remembered forever for costing his team a CFL title.
However, Smith rebounded and exacted the ultimate measure of redemption, on the biggest stage possible, by making a first-down-saving tackle a couple of plays later before cementing his place in Argonauts and CFL lore by blocking the Bombers’ go-ahead field goal in the final seconds.
It was a storybook championship sequence deserving of a champion. Robbie Smith, another successful homegrown draft pick of the Boatmen’s brilliant scouting department headed by Vince Magri, is back in Double Blue to defend the throne in 2023.
In an exclusive interview with Mike Hogan at Argonauts.ca. The 25-year-old Wilfred Laurier product tells Hogan why he chose to stay with the Boatmen.
The man who clinched a Grey Cup win by blocking a last-minute field goal attempt has re-signed with the Toronto Argonauts, inking a two-year deal to remain in Double Blue.
It was a relatively simple choice for the Brampton native.
“For sure,” Smith told Argonauts.ca. “Especially with it being my hometown and with us ending on a high note last year. Having amazing coaches and an amazing front office made this a pretty easy decision for me.”
Canadian and Grey Cup Hero Robbie Smith on his return to Toronto at Argonauts.ca
TORONTO ARGONAUTS BRING BACK GREY CUP STAR DL ROBBIE SMITH
TORONTO – The Toronto Argonauts Football Club announced today the team had re-signed Canadian DL Robbie Smith.
Smith, 25, played 17 games in 2022 and recorded 22 defensive tackles, seven special teams tackles, three sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble. The third-year Argo had arguably his best game of the season when it mattered most. The Wilfrid Laurier product tallied four tackles and one sack before blocking a potential game-winning field goal with just 54 seconds to seal the 109th Grey Cup and give the Argos their record 18th championship. The Brampton native was a second-round pick, ninth overall, in 2019. Throughout 45 career games, he has posted 61 defensive tackles, 14 special teams tackles, eight sacks, one interception, and three forced fumbles.
