On Nov. 17, 2024, Toronto quarterback Nick Arbuckle and receiver Dejon Brissett collected the individual honors that followed the Argonauts' 41-24 Grey Cup win over Winnipeg.

Arbuckle was named the Most Valuable Player after throwing for 252 yards and two touchdowns in his first Grey Cup start. It was the kind of performance that can turn a backup story into a franchise moment. He had been thrust into the role after Chad Kelly suffered a leg injury in the East Division final, yet he played with enough calm to keep Toronto on schedule and enough command to guide a team that eventually pulled away late.

Brissett earned the Most Valuable Canadian award after catching three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown in the game. His regular-season numbers also show why Toronto leaned on him: he finished the year with 171 receiving yards and three touchdowns in six games, all in his fourth CFL season. The championship catch mattered because it came in the same stretch that broke Winnipeg's grip on the game and gave Toronto a cushion it would not surrender.

The honors underline how much of Toronto's success came from replacement players stepping into large roles without changing the team's identity. Arbuckle took the starting job in a championship setting and handled it. Brissett delivered when the route tree mattered most. Together, they embodied a Toronto side that had answers even after injuries forced late adjustments.

Their awards also sit inside a larger story about the Argonauts' place in the Canadian Football League. Toronto beat Winnipeg for the second time in three years after also winning the title in 2022, and the Bombers' third straight Grey Cup loss extended a difficult run. The Argos have now won eight straight Grey Cups against Winnipeg, a remarkable run of success in the sport's biggest game.

For Arbuckle, the MVP trophy may be the clearest proof that he was ready when the opportunity arrived. For Brissett, the top Canadian award confirmed that his contribution went beyond one catch or one flash play. On a championship night, both players turned opportunity into hardware.

Brissett's honor also recognized the way he kept growing throughout the season. The source notes that he finished the year with 171 receiving yards and three touchdowns in six games, production that made him a reliable target once Toronto needed one more play in the championship drive. Arbuckle's journey mattered for different reasons: after six CFL seasons he was making his first postseason start, and he answered the pressure with the kind of line that can stabilize a team in a title game. The awards together tell the story of a roster that needed replacements to become champions and got exactly that.

Taken together, the awards show how quickly a championship roster can be built around players who step up at exactly the right time.

For Toronto, that mattered because the Grey Cup is often decided by whichever replacement or depth player handles the pressure best.

For a team that needed both men at the right time, that was enough to tilt a title game.