Butler lashes out at Argos for not allowing him to pursue NFL opportunities
TORONTO — Another member of the Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts has criticized the CFL team for not allowing him to pursue NFL opportunities this off-season.
On Friday, defensive lineman Victor Butler wrote in a bylined story to 3DownNation, a website covering all Canadian football, the Argos are going back on a gentleman’s agreement to let him out of his CFL deal to return to the NFL. The story’s headline is: The Argonauts are holding me hostage.
Earlier this week, running back James Wilder Jr. announced he was sitting out the ’18 season after Toronto wouldn’t allow him to pursue opportunities south of the border. Wilder has one year remaining on his CFL contract.
Butler said he signed a one-year deal, plus a team option, with Toronto last February but with the understanding following the ’17 season he’d be allowed to pursue NFL opportunities. If unsuccessful, then he’d return to rejoin the Argos.