Toronto Locks Down QB Talent

The Toronto Argonauts have added depth at quarterback today with the signing of former NFL starter Mike McMahon and Peyton Manning’s two-year understudy, Tom Arth.

McMahon, who captivated Argo coaches last week while participating in workouts at the new University of Toronto football facility, has 29 games of NFL experience, spread over five seasons, and fourteen starts under his belt. The sturdy 6’2”, 215 pound, Rutgers product was Donavan McNabb’s backup in 2005 when he was pushed into action and started seven games for the Philadelphia Eagles, passing for a career-high 299 yards against the New York Giants. In 2002, he also began the year as a backup but started four games when QB Joey Harrington fell to injury.  As a rookie in 2001, McMahon started three games for the Lions and threw for almost 700 yards.

As a four-year starter at Rutgers, McMahon set several school records and graduated as the Scarlet Knights’ second all-time passer with 41 touchdown passes and 6,608 passing yards. McMahon was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.

The NFL’s Indianapolis Colts helped Tom Arth refine his abilities as a player on the club’s practice roster and develop his acute football acumen while assisting former NFL MVP Peyton Manning. Known for his intelligent approach to the game, Arth has honed his on-field play with two stops in NFL Europe where he first played with the Scottish Claymores and then with the Hamburg Sea Devils. The John Carroll University alumni still holds most of the school’s passing records and recently attended training camp with the Green Bay Packers.   Arth recently impressed Argo coaches in a private workout with the team.  Arth and McMahon’s signings bring the total number of players signed from the workouts up to four.  Receivers Eugene Baker and Todd Devoe were signed last week.

Mike McMahon

Quarterback

6’2”, 210 lbs.

Rutgers

Born: February 8, 1979

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1^st Year Argo/ 1^st Year CFL

Import

Acquired: Signed with Toronto as a free agent on February 20, 2007.

2006:  Released by Philadelphia on March 20…Signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings (NFL) on March 23…Did not see any game action…Released by Minnesota on September 2.

2005: Signed with the Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) on March 11…Played in nine games, starting seven in place of Donovan McNabb…Finished the season competing 94 of 207 passes for 1,158 yards and five touchdowns…He also ran 34 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns…Made his first start as an Eagle on November 20 versus the New York Giants, passing for a career-best 299 yards.

2004: Limited to one appearance with Detroit in which he connected on 11 passes for 77 yards.

2003: Dressed in three games with the Lions as a backup QB and saw limited action.

2002: Dressed in eight games, starting four at quarterback…Finished the season 62 for 147 for 874 and seven touchdowns…Made one reception for seven yards that he turned into a first down.

2001: Selected in the fifth round (149^th overall) in the NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions…Dressed in eight games and started three at QB in his rookie year with the Lions…Passed for 671 yards and rushed for a career-high 145 yards on 27 carries…Earned first career win and scored first career touchdown (1-yard run) on December 16 versus Minnesota.

College: Four-year starter at Rutgers (1997-00) where he was tutored in the West Coast offence…Left school ranking second on the all-time passing lists with 974 pass attempts, 41 touchdown passes and 6,608 yards…His 482 pass completions ranks third on the Scarlet Knights’ all-time list…Holds the school record for participating in 1,188 offensive plays and ranks second with 6,793 yards of total offence…The 18 touchdown passes broke a single-season record formerly held by Bryan Fortay and Ray Lucas.

Personal: Full name is Michael Edward McMahon…Son of Patty and Bob McMahon…He is an avid pet lover and owns a boxer named Jake…Idolized Jim McMahon and Randall Cunningham as a child…First-team all-state honours from the AP and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fabulous 22 accolades as well as being honorable mention All-American pick by USA Today as a senior at North Allegheny (Pa.) High School…Played in the Pennsylvania-Ohio Big 33 All-Star Game… Completed 84-of-161 passes for 1,431 yards and rushed 102 times for 385 yards in his senior season in ’96…Lettered three times in football and twice in both basketball and baseball.

Tom Arth

Quarterback

6’3”, 217 lbs.

John Carroll

Born: May 11, 1981

Westlake, Ohio

1^st Year Argos/ 1^st Year CFL

Import

Acquired: Signed with Toronto as a free agent on February 20, 2007.

2006: Signed with Green Bay on March 22 and released by the Green Bay Packers on July 26.

2005: Re-signed with the Colts on January 18…Assigned to the Hamburg Sea Devils of NFL Europe…Completed 6 of 11 passes for 150 yards and 1 TD, and rushed once for 3 yards…The touchdown set a team record for longest completion (95 yards to Terrance Metcalfe)…Returned to Colt’s training camp and assigned to Indianapolis’ practice roster on September 5…Did not re-sign at the end of the season.

2004: Assigned by the Indianapolis Colts to the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe…Played primarily as a back-up completing 55% (35 of 63) of his passes for 270 yards…Returned to Indianapolis and released on September 4…Stayed with the team as an assistant, breaking down game film for Peyton Manning.

2003: Signed with the Indianapolis Colts (NFL) as an un-drafted free agent...Placed on the reserve non-football illness list in August and worked for the Colts as an assistant, studying game film and providing analysis for coaches and Peyton Manning.

College: 2002 Played 11 games completing 207 of 346 passes and 26 TD on just 6 INT for 2,671 yards…2001 Named First Team All-American…Passed for 2,783 yards, completed 200 of 328 passes for a 61.8% completion percentage, the second highest rate in school history…2000 Set several single season school records in most passing categories including most yards (3,155), most attempts (367), most completions (216) for a 58.9% completion percentage and 31 TD passes…Threw for a school record 453 yards against Ohio Northern (Oct. 21)…1999 Passed for 1,736 yards in his first year as a starter…1998 Freshman.  

High School: Attended Ignatius HS in Cleveland, Ohio.