Picton signs with Argos after ‘scary’ injury sidelined season

The end of his final season at the University of Regina did not go as Noah Picton planned.

Picton, who is arguably the Rams most prolific quarterback, sat the last three games of the year because of an infection in his toe. If not treated properly, it could have cost him his football career or worse.

“The troubling thing was it wasn’t even an injury, it was more of like, a health concern. It was septic arthritis. I was on an IV for what would have been about three weeks,” Picton told Green Zone host Jamie Nye on Wednesday.

Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by the body’s response to an infection. Untreated it can cause multiple organ failure.

“The doctors, they threw around the word ‘fatal’ in some cases. I don’t really know. I think they acknowledged that I was a reasonably healthy guy but to someone with decreased health … it can be pretty serious whether or not it gets into your blood stream.”

Fortunately for Picton, he has since made a full recovery, and on the heels of that recovery came a call from the Toronto Argonauts and a contract offer.

The 2016 Hec Crighton Trophy winner and U Sports career passing leader signed a three-year deal with the Boatmen on Monday.

It’ll be Picton’s second time with the Argonauts after attending training camp with the club earlier this year.

“It was special to know that they’re going to invest in me a little bit, and to go out to camp, I got to make sure to prove them right. It’s a little bit of pressure, but it’s fun,” Picton said.

Though Picton has always been pretty cool under pressure. You’d have to be to put up his numbers: 11,494 yards passing and 71 career touchdowns. That’s not to mention that he also became the all-time leader in Canada West and University of Regina history in both career passing yards and pass completions.

Picton did all of this despite criticism that his size – he’s five-feet-nine-inches tall – would make him unsuitable for the professional game. Instead of dwell on it, he just found a way.

“There’s different ways to compensate for lack of size and maybe the lack of arm strength compared to the NCAA guys, but I’ve always believed that if you know where you’re going with the football and you throw it on time you’ll find success and that’s what I’ve leaned on or how I’ve gotten my edge over the past years,” Picton explained.

He’s always looking for new ways to improve though, so he’ll keep watching film through the offseason and also hit the gym to work on his arm strength to make sure “I can make all the throws at a high level and consistently.”

“I don’t think I have to change my game or change the way I play quarterback, but just kind of improve all the little things that I do, and I think I’ll be good to go at camp.”