Former Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly suspended by CFL over sexual harassment allegations

The reigning Canadian Football League MVP will miss at least half of the upcoming season due to sexual harassment allegations.

Former Ole Miss and current Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly has been suspended for at least nine regular season games and two preseason games, according to a CFL press release. The league came to its conclusion after an investigation into a lawsuit filed against Kelly and the club by a former strength and conditioning coach.

“Players are the ambassadors of our great game,” said CFL Commissioner Randy Ambroise. “They are expected to be leaders in the locker room and role models in the community. It was important that we did our due diligence to properly investigate this matter from all aspects. This thorough investigation found that Mr. Kelly clearly violated the CFL’s gender-based violence policy.”

The former Argos employee, who has not been named publicly, argues that she was sexually harassed by Kelly before she was unlawfully fired from her position because Toronto violated the CFL’s violence against women policy by telling the league office has not submitted a report of a criminal incident. She is seeking $296,603 from the Argos and $50,000 from Kelly.

Kelly, who has denied any wrongdoing, will not be reinstated on the field until he successfully undergoes a confidential assessment by an independent expert and attends mandatory counseling sessions conducted by a gender-based violence expert.

“Mr. Kelly’s suspension is the direct result of his behavior,” Ambroise continued. “The addition of mandatory counseling focuses on his need for self-reflection and understanding of his actions. He must take full advantage of this opportunity for personal growth in order to return to the CFL .”

Although Kelly has not commented on the league’s decision to suspend him, he did make a now-deleted post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, after the allegations surfaced in March.

“I am shocked by the allegations that have been made against me,” the post reads. “I categorically deny these incidents and intend to defend myself vigorously and will move to dismiss the lawsuit.”

The announcement did not contain any penalties or sanctions against the Argos. Instead, it said the facts presented by investigators about the club’s conduct in this matter would be reviewed internally.

Kelly is coming off his best professional season since his time at Oxford. In 2023, he won the George Reed Most Outstanding Player Award and received the largest contract in CFL history after rushing for 4,123 yards and 31 total touchdowns. Kelly was selected by the Denver Broncos with the last pick in the 2017 NFL Draft before being released from the team after being arrested for trespassing. He later played for the Indianapolis Colts for a short time before signing with Toronto.