Dan Girard
Sports Reporter
The Toronto Argonauts have lost one of their most explosive offensive players as kick returner Dominque Dorsey has signed a contract with the Washington Redskins of the National Football League.
Dorsey, named the CFL’s most outstanding special teams player in 2008, had a league-best 2,892 all-purpose yards despite missing five games due to injury.
An all-star in 2008, Dorsey, 25, set a new Argos single-season kickoff returns record with 1,257 yards and scored four touchdowns. He also set a club record for kickoff yards on one game with 225.
“It was a tough decision to leave,” Dorsey said in a statement issued by the Argos. "I felt like I made a home for myself in Toronto and wanted to win a Grey Cup there badly.
“I showcased my best abilities in Toronto but needed to pursue this opportunity in Washington at this point in my career.”
A California native who graduated from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Dorsey played in Saskatchewan in 2005 and 2006 before coming to Toronto in 2007.
He was second overall in missed field goal returns (five for 187 yards) and fifth both in kickoff returns and punt returns (63 for 752 yards, one TD). He also added 410 yards rushing and 286 yards receiving.
Deservedly, Dorsey was a unanimous pick as Toronto’s outstanding player nominee as well as the 4-14 team’s top special-teams performer.
“Congratulations to Dominique on this well-deserved opportunity,” Argos GM Adam Rita said in a statement. "He is an amazing person and player who will truly be missed.
“We wish him the best of luck in chasing his dream. He is a hard player to replace but we always strive to find tomorrow’s heroes for our fans and are confident we will bring new and exciting personnel to Toronto.”
Dorsey was scheduled to become a free agent Feb. 16 and was one of two key players the Argos had hoped to re-sign this off-season. The other is linebacker Willie Pile, who finished sixth in the CFL in tackles last season with a team-high 75.
Dorsey becomes the fourth Argo to head to the NFL, joining tackle Cliff Washburn (Houston Texans), receiver P.K. Sam (Buffalo) and cornerback Byron Parker (Philadelphia).
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/582235
