The 2006 Toronto Argonauts season was the 49th season for the team in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and 134th season overall. The Argonauts finished the regular season 10–8 and finished in second place in the East Division.
Offseason The Argos recruited Ricky Williams as a running back (RB), and the 2001 Heisman Trophy winner, Eric Crouch, as a quarterback (QB).
CFL draft Pick # CFL team Player Position College 5 Toronto Argonauts Daniel Federkeil DL Calgary 10 Toronto Argonauts Leron Mitchell DB Western Ontario 14 Toronto Argonauts Aaron Wagner LB Brigham Young 31 Toronto Argonauts Obed Cetoute WR Central Florida 39 Toronto Argonauts Brian Ramsay OL New Mexico 47 Toronto Argonauts Clifton Dawson RB Harvard
Preseason Week Date Opponent Location Final score Attendance Record A June 2 Tiger-Cats Rogers Centre L 31 – 3 21,469 0–1 B June 9 @ Tiger-Cats Ivor Wynne Stadium L 21 – 11 25,398 0–2
Regular season Quarterback Damon Allen became professional football's all-time leading passer, overtaking Warren Moon on Labour Day in Hamilton. The team, however, was decimated by injuries at almost every position and the Argonauts stumbled out of the gate to a 2–5 record. Mid-season health bred new promise as the team gained the majority of its starters back including Allen and Williams, who both fell to injury early in the year. Upon his return, Williams joined forces with fellow RB John Avery to deliver a late-season one-two punch out of the backfield. Combined with the stellar play of their dominant defence, the Double Blue was able to turn the season around and win 8 of their remaining 11 regular season games to finish in a first-place tie with the Montreal Alouettes. The CFL tie-break rule landed the Argos in second place.
Season schedule Week Date Opponent Location Final score Attendance Record 1 June 17 Tiger-Cats Rogers Centre W 27 – 17 27,689 1–0 2 June 23 @ Blue Bombers Canad Inns Stadium L 16 – 9 26,524 1–1 3 June 30 @ Lions BC Place Stadium L 26 – 19 30,514 1–2 4 July 8 Blue Bombers Rogers Centre L 24 – 17 26,304 1–3 5 Bye 6 July 22 @ Roughriders Mosaic Stadium W 26 – 23 24,967 2–3 7 July 29 Lions Rogers Centre L 28 – 8 28,356 2–4 8 August 3 @ Alouettes Molson Stadium L 31 – 7 20,202 2–5 9 August 12 @ Tiger-Cats Ivor Wynne Stadium W 20 – 2 29,010 3–5 10 August 19 Alouettes Rogers Centre W 31 – 6 30,786 4–5 11 August 25 @ Blue Bombers Canad Inns Stadium W 18 – 15 25,014 5–5 12 September 4 @ Tiger-Cats Ivor Wynne Stadium W 40 – 6 28,891 6–5 13 September 9 Tiger-Cats Rogers Centre W 11 – 9 26,212 7–5 14 Bye 15 September 23 @ Stampeders McMahon Stadium L 39 – 18 31,539 7–6 16 September 30 Stampeders Rogers Centre W 23 – 16 32,410 8–6 17 October 9 Eskimos Rogers Centre W 28 – 23 26,891 9–6 18 October 14 @ Eskimos Commonwealth Stadium W 28 – 25 39,533 10–6 19 October 20 Roughriders Rogers Centre L 13 – 9 30,323 10–7 20 October 28 Alouettes Rogers Centre L 24 – 20 38,123 10–8
Season standings
Postseason The Argos hosted the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in an East Semi-Final at Rogers Centre. With the season on the line, QB Michael Bishop and LB Chuck Winters teamed up to lead the Boatmen to a come-from-behind victory. The Argos fell to Montreal in the East Championship.
Round Date Opponent Location Final score Attendance East Semi-Final November 5 Blue Bombers Rogers Centre W 31–27 26,214 East Final November 12 @ Alouettes Olympic Stadium L 33–24 35,607 Roster 2006 Toronto Argonauts final roster Quarterbacks
Running backs
Receivers
Offensive linemen T/G C T G T G
Defensive linemen DE NT DE DE NT
Special teams K/P LSLinebackers
Defensive backs
Reserve roster DB DB WR T
Injured list QB T WR RB LB NT RB
Italics indicate International player
Awards and records Despite their early exit from the playoffs, the Boatmen finished the season with 11 East Division All-Stars and three CFL All-Stars. Kicker/Punter Noel Prefontaine was once again named the East's Most Outstanding Special Teams Player and elusive receiver Arland Bruce III finished with a division leading 1,370 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns. A bright star on defence came in the form of CB Byron Parker. The speedy defender re-joined the Boatmen mid-season and made his mark in both the Argos and the CFL record books in only nine regular season contests. By season's end, the Tulane product had accumulated 8 interceptions for a CFL record 348 return yards and 4 touchdowns. Linebacker Mike O'Shea became just the third player, and first Canadian, in CFL history to record 1,000 or more defensive tackles in a career. CFL All-Stars: Offence WR – Arland Bruce III
CFL All-Stars: Defence CB – Byron Parker
CFL All-Stars: Special teams P – Noel Prefontaine
CFL Eastern All-Stars: Offence WR – Arland Bruce III OT – Bernard Williams OT – Jerome Davis OG – Jude St. John
CFL Eastern All-Stars: Defence DE – Jonathan Brown LB – Kevin Eiben DB – Kenny Wheaton CB – Byron Parker CB – Jordan Younger DS – Orlondo Steinauer
CFL Eastern All-Stars: Special teams P – Noel Prefontaine
References