Argos-Riders contests to be family affair for Toronto receiver DaVaris Daniels

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The Hamilton Tiger-Cats stay Toronto’s largest CFL rival however receiver DaVaris Daniels has the Argonauts’ dates with the Saskatchewan Roughriders circled on his calendar.

Toronto visits Regina on July 4 and hosts Saskatchewan on Aug. 22. These video games are important to Daniels as a result of his father, Phillip, is in his first season as Saskatchewan’s defensive position coach.

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“I by no means thought I’d ever be on this place taking part in towards my dad,” Daniels mentioned with a chuckle. “It’s a wild dynamic and I believe the wildest a part of it’s my mother has to determine what colors she needs to put on once we play towards one another.

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“I don’t understand how she’s going to do it. There’s a whole lot of stress on her.”

Phillip Daniels joined Saskatchewan following 4 seasons as a coach with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles (incomes a Tremendous Bowl ring in 2018) and a yr in Washington’s entrance workplace. Daniels additionally performed 15 seasons as a defensive lineman with Seattle (1996-99), Chicago (2000-03) and the then Redskins (2004-10).

And with soccer as a standard bond, DaVaris Daniels has usually leaned on his father.

“It’s thrilling for the sport, I believe it’s thrilling for the league and it’s thrilling for our household,” he mentioned. “I believe (teaching in football-mad Saskatchewan) is the most effective sort of environment and atmosphere he must be launched to the CFL.

“Clearly he’s on the alternative facet of the ball so after I’m on the sector I received’t get to look at as a lot however once we’re not taking part in them I’ll watch that D-line and see what they’re doing.”

However his father received’t be the one acquainted face Daniels will see with Saskatchewan. Rookie head coach Corey Mace is Toronto’s former defensive co-ordinator, whereas Daniels additionally has a historical past with offensive co-ordinator Marc Mueller, secondary coach Josh Bell and receivers coach Marquay McDaniel.

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Additionally, operating again A.J. Ouellette, who ran for 1,009 yards final season with Toronto, joined the Riders in free company.

“I’m simply excited for my dad due to the teaching workers they’ve,” Daniels mentioned. “I do know these guys they usually’re all nice folks so I couldn’t be happier with who he’s round and the environment he’s strolling into after his NFL profession.”

Daniels, 31, is getting into his fourth season in Toronto and eighth within the CFL. The six-foot-one, 203-pound former Notre Dame star had 52 catches for a career-best 1,009 yards with eight TDs final season and was a giant a part of the 2022 Gray Cup champs posting the most effective regular-season report of their historical past (16-2).

However that accomplishment grew to become moot after Montreal upset Toronto 38-17 within the East Division ultimate en path to profitable its first Gray Cup since 2010.

“It was a bitter capsule,” Daniels mentioned. “Even to at the present time, it doesn’t really feel actual given the season we had and the gamers and lockerroom we had.

“It’s not one thing that’s simple to recover from however I’m undecided we need to recover from it due to the motivation it brings to this season.”

Toronto’s 2024 squad will differ vastly from final yr’s.

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Along with the coaches and Ouellette, Toronto misplaced defensive linemen Dewayne Hendrix and Brandon Barlow, cornerback Jamal Peters (all to Hamilton) and kick-returner Javon Leake (Edmonton) in free company whereas releasing kicker Boris Bede (Edmonton) and linebacker Adarius Pickett (Ottawa). One constructive, although, was Canadian kicker Lirim Hajrullahu’s return after three seasons (2020-22) within the NFL.

Toronto has completed atop the East Division the final three seasons however might be thought-about an underdog by many this yr.

“Please do,” mentioned Daniels. “No query, I believe it’s simple to take a look at who left and the way large they have been on our crew … however I additionally suppose many individuals overlook how deep we have been final yr, particularly on defence.

“That’s one thing we’re carrying into this season, that chip on our shoulders.”

Whereas others left Toronto, Daniels signed an extension this low season to stay by 2025. The CFL’s 2016 prime rookie mentioned it was a straightforward determination to proceed grinding with the likes of linebacker Wynton McManis, security Royce Metchie and defensive again DaShaun Amos, who like Daniels are all additionally former Stamps.

“We’re very loyal to one another, we care about one another vastly and it’s arduous to go away that,” Daniels mentioned. “I left that earlier than in 2019 after I went to Edmonton and I do know the grass isn’t at all times greener.

“It simply feels proper to be in Toronto with this group. I really feel like this provides myself and the crew the most effective shot at profitable one other championship.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed April 11, 2024.

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