BC Lions Ricky Foley celebrates his tackle on Calgary Stampeders Joffrey Reynolds (rear) during CFL football action in Vancouver, British Columbia, October 31, 2009. REUTERS/Lyle StaffordLYLE STAFFORD/Reuters
On Monday night, the B.C. Lions announced they had re-signed free-agent defensive end Ricky Foley, who was quoted in a team release saying he "couldn't imagine playing anywhere else."
Turns out that wasn't quite true. Less than 24 hours later, Foley is officially a member of his hometown Toronto Argonauts.
The 28-year-old York University product apparently didn't sleep well with his decision Monday. And on Tuesday, he had a change of heart, sending him from the fold of one David Braley-owned CFL team to another.
Early Tuesday, Lions head coach Wally Buono and his B.C. players were welcoming Foley back through the media, believing his plane was about to land in Vancouver so he could sign his contract. But when it arrived, the 2009 CFL most outstanding Canadian wasn't on it.
"I told Ricky, I don't want you to get on a plane to B.C. and regret it because then we have an unhappy player, a disgruntled player who we've made a substantial investment in," Buono later told Team Radio in Vancouver. "He's had a change of heart. Whether you like it or not, you have to respect it."
Since no contract had been signed, Foley was free to do an about-face.
"This was one of the most difficult decisions I've ever made," Foley said in a release sent out by his agent, Paul Sheehy, on Tuesday.
"The fans, players and coaches in B.C. have been nothing but great and supportive of me for my career there," Foley said, "but if I returned there, it would have been for selfish reasons. I have a unique opportunity to play in front of my family and friends and play for my hometown Argos, and, at the end of the day, my family comes first. So I'm very excited to help bring Toronto a Grey Cup."
Foley tied for the CFL lead in sacks last season, with 12, earning him a free-agent contract with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks. Cut by Seattle in August, Foley was signed by the New York Jets, who released him a short time later.