THE CANADIAN PRESS
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Gibran Hamdan had some shocking news for the Toronto Argonauts on Friday.
The former NFL quarterback — who was among five players vying for the Argos’ starting job — abruptly announced his retirement.
The six-foot-four, 240-pound Hamdan said he simply no longer had the desire to play.
“My short time with the Argos has been a great experience,” he said in a statement. “Jim (head coach Jim Barker) and the Argos are heading in a direction where they need 100 per cent dedication and when I looked in the mirror, I knew I couldn’t deliver that.
“My heart and dedication would not take this team to a championship and it would not be fair to my teammates, the organization and the fans to continue. I wish the Argonauts every success this season.”
Hamdan, 29, signed with Toronto on March 10, hoping he’d get a chance to play full-time.
His departure from rookie camp leaves the Argos with four quarterbacks in camp: Former NFL players Cleo Lemon and Ken Dorsey, along with former Saskatchewan Roughriders Dalton Bell and Canadian-born rookie Danny Brannagan. All four will continue to battle for the No. 1 job when Toronto opens its main training camp Sunday.
Hamdan played collegiately at Indiana and was a seventh-round draft pick of the NFL’s Washington Redskins in 2003. He also went on to spend time with Seattle, San Francisco and Miami before eventually landing in Buffalo.
“Gibran competed very well in camp but sometimes players get that feeling that it is time for them to retire,” Barker said. “We respect his decision and wish him all the best in his future.”
The Argos also announced Friday that receiver Matt Lambros was released. Toronto selected Lambros in the second round, 10th overall, in last year’s CFL Canadian college draft. He appeared in three games last season, spending most of the year on the injured list with a knee ailment.
