Wynton McManis pushed the Toronto Argonauts to the limit and it paid off for the man who calls himself ‘Mr. Great Business.’
McManis signed a one-year contract extension with the Double Blue just before the CFL’s free-agent communication window opened. It was well-known around the league that multiple other teams would have gone hard after the star linebacker. That forced the Argos to pay up.
“In a lot of ways, that’s why I do play the game to help raise the bar. I believe a lot of linebackers in this league that’s deserving of a payday. You could say we control the field, we’re all over the place, we’re like the quarterback on the other side of the ball. I feel like we bring so much to the game and I’ve been blessed to be in this position,” McManis said.
The three-time Grey Cup champion was the highest-paid at his position in 2024, earning $206,500. He, along with his agent Christina Phillips, was able to take his compensation to a new level. In 2025, McManis is scheduled to collect $231,500 which makes him the highest-paid LB for a third straight season. The two-time CFL all-star is among the highest-paid defensive players in the league.
“A lot of guys in this league are deserving of huge paydays and pushing that market. Understanding what we bring to the league as far as fan bases and excitement to the game, expanding the trajectory of where we want the league to go and how we want to value our players,” McManis said.
The 30-year-old has been a key leader for Toronto, playing a major role in the Argonauts winning two Grey Cups in the last three seasons. McManis was arguably the best player on the field as his team upset the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at BC Place last November in the CFL championship game.
“You know what it takes to be great, what it takes to get the job done and achieve your goal — continue that and it’ll never stop. Once you’ve achieved it, you understand that it takes that and now it takes even more,” McManis said about defending the Argos’ title.
“You got to understand that it’s going to take even more now, you can’t rest and be happy with what you just did, it’s going to be harder. You got a target on your back now and it’s not the same team, it’s never the same team. My thing is understand what it takes to be great.”
McManis has seen the entire defensive line that started the 111th Grey Cup in front of him depart the team. Ralph Holley signed with the Cleveland Browns, Folarin Orimolade was traded to the Calgary Stampeders while Jake Ceresna and Robbie Smith, along with key interior contributor Jared Brinkman, signed with the Edmonton Elks in CFL free agency.
“I’m not nervous. I’m not scared a bit, honestly. Man, we’ve got some young guys. Jordan Williams, he’s still here. Fresh legs, great size, great mobility, understands the game and wants to get better. I think he had a good year, playing and rotating with a lot of those guys,” McManis said.
Williams recorded 12 tackles with two sacks in nine games during his rookie season in Canada. Fellow American Derek Parrish registered 21 tackles with six sacks in 2024. Meanwhile, the Argonauts signed veteran free agents Bryan Cox Jr., Anthony Lanier, Celestin Haba, and DeMarcus Christmas to help replenish the defensive line.
“It’s going to take everybody coming together. We got a lot to build off. Man, having guys come in with the attitude that I want to learn and I want to get better, I think that’s the biggest thing. I’m not going to withhold any information,” McManis said.
“Anything that I have to teach, anything that I have to give or say, I give that. It’s up to you to take it and receive it. Year in and year out, we’ve had guys come in that’s willing to learn. It’s my job to make sure that continues and we’re going to do great business in that.”
The Argonauts finished second in the East Division in 2024 with a 10-8 record, defeating the Ottawa Redblacks in the East Semi-Final and Montreal Alouettes in the East Final to qualify for the Grey Cup. The team opens its 2025 regular season by visiting the Als at Percival Molson Stadium on Friday, June 6 with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m. ET.
