Mike Miller tuning out Toronto Argonauts doubters

Photo courtesy: Toronto Argonauts

The Toronto Argonauts are the consensus last-place team heading into their first regular-season game of 2026 but their rookie head coach is concentrating on other things.

“We’re not really focused on anything that’s outside the building. Going into this, we’re always going to be about us. That’s where our focus is, and we know how we want to play football,” Mike Miller told 3DownNation on Wednesday.

“I believe our players and our coaches and our veteran leadership have embraced it. We’re just about working to improve each day, so whatever anyone says about us — good or bad — outside the building, there’s nothing that we’re paying any attention to. We’re focused on each other, and again, we’re going to get better every day.”

The Argonauts missed the playoffs at 5-13 in 2025, leading to significant changes. Ryan Dinwiddie left to become the head coach and general manager of the Ottawa Redblacks, and nearly a dozen starters weren’t retained, including Dejon Brissett, DaVaris Daniels, Sage Doxtater, Anthony Lanier II, Wynton McManis, and Branden Dozier.

Toronto made significant additions in free agency, including the repatriation of defensive backs Adarius Pickett, Robert Priester, and DaShaun Amos. All three players were on the roster when the team went 16-2 in 2023 and should help secure a secondary that allowed a league-worst 35 passing touchdowns last year. Dakoda Shepley was also brought in off a long NFL stint to shore up the offensive line.

Miller declined to assess how this year’s team differs from last year’s, indicating he isn’t spending any time looking backward.

“I don’t really like to get into comparisons. All I can do is focus on 2026 right now, and I’m pleased with where we are as a team,” he said.

“It’s a famous line that I got from Clint Hurdle, former (Pittsburgh) Pirates manager, is that we’re easy to please, but we’re hard to satisfy. Guys have got to continue to work, continue to get better, and continue to respond, and we want to grow together as a team, so that’s really what our focus is.”

Franchise quarterback Chad Kelly will make his first start on Friday since the devastating leg injury he suffered in the 2024 East Final. Coincidentally, he’ll make his return on the same field where the injury took place: Percival Molson Stadium in Montreal.

Miller and Kelly have a close relationship that dates back to 2022 when the former was first hired as Toronto’s quarterbacks coach. The 56-year-old has been a staunch advocate of Kelly’s and likes what he’s seen from the veteran passer throughout training camp.

“I like Chad’s focus. We’ve had a good camp and a good week of preparation, and it’s all about execution right now,” he said. “Maybe a thought (about returning where the injury occurred) would ever come across — it would probably be natural before the game — but we have no doubt: when the lights are turned on, Chad Kelly shows up to play.”

Toronto had the league’s worst running game last year and appear to have a new starting ball-carrier in Sam Hicks, a scatback out of Abilene Christian University. The 25-year-old rushed nine times for 66 yards and three touchdowns during the preseason, leading to the release of veteran Peyton Logan.

“(Hicks is) a rookie that has done some good things and has also done some things that he needs to learn from and continue to improve and get better. Hopefully, we see that when he’s called upon, but he’s done some good things, and we’ll just have to see,” said Miller.

“All of us are works in progress. Again, we’re just focused on the next play, how we respond, and working to get better.”

The Toronto Argonauts (0-0) will visit the Montreal Alouettes (1-0) at Percival Molson Stadium on Friday, June 12, with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT. The Argonauts were on a bye in Week 1, while the Alouettes are coming off an overtime victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

The weather forecast in Montreal calls for a high of 25 degrees and a 20 percent chance of rain. The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS in Canada, and CFL+ in the United States and internationally. Radio listeners can tune in on TSN 1050 in Toronto, TSN 690 in Montreal, or 99.5 Montreal in French.

John Hodge is a longtime Canadian football reporter, insider, and podcaster for 3DownNation. Based in Winnipeg, Hodge is also a freelance television and radio broadcaster and curling reporter for Rock Channel.