Why did Chad Kelly leave the NFL? Reasons for QB's exit explained

Chad Kelly has had a rollercoaster of a football career. The Buffalo, New York-born quarterback played for three college football powerhouses, was selected as Mr. Irrelevant in his draft class, and most recently, became the MVP of the Canadian Football League.

Kelly has been around for a while, and this article will explore why he left the NFL in 2018.

Why Chad Kelly left the NFL

The Denver Broncos drafted Chad Kelly with the last pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. However, the Ole Miss product missed his entire rookie season due to injury issues.

Kelly was declared fit ahead of the 2018 NFL season and beat out 2016 first-round pick Paxton Lynch for the position of Broncos backup quarterback behind Case Keenum. Kelly won the role and was featured in one game during the 2018 season.

Kelly left the NFL for the first time in 2018 after being arrested on suspicion of first-degree criminal trespassing. Allegedly, he entered a family's house unauthorizedly after leaving teammate Von Miller's 2018 Halloween party. The Broncos investigated the allegations internally and released Kelly on October 24, 2018.

The Indianapolis Colts signed Kelly ahead of the 2019 season, but he only played a snap for the franchise before getting released for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Chad Kelly's football career after NFL exit

Following his release from the Indianapolis Colts, Kelly briefly returned to East Mississippi to serve as an offensive coach. He later got the call from the CFL side, the Toronto Argonauts, and signed a contract with the franchise on February 11, 2022.

Kelly started just one game in his first season for the Argonauts, serving as a backup to veteran QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson. However, in that final game of the season, he put up a stat line of 297 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Kelly became the team's undisputed starter in 2023, and he led the team to a 16-2 record. The Ole Miss product was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player for 2023.

However, Kelly has started the 2024 CFL season in the most unideal of ways. The league suspended him for a minimum of nine games after an investigation into allegations by a former Toronto Argonauts strength and conditioning coach against both the player and the club.

Additionally, he's barred from the team's two preseason games for violating its gender-based violence policy. Before considering his return, the CFL mandates him to undergo confidential assessments by an independent expert and mandatory counseling sessions. As per apnews.com, these assessments and counseling sessions must be satisfactorily completed.