When linebacker Winston Venable unexpectedly informed the Argos about his decision to retire from pro football on Wednesday, he did so having already been paid a sizeable chunk of change .

The 30-year-old signed a two-year contract with Toronto that included a $35,000 signing bonus on the first day of free agency in February. It was a prized acquisition for the Argonauts at the time and with former Alouettes general manager Jim Popp coming to the Double Blue in late February, who brought Venable to the CFL, the synergy was there too.

He spent four years in Montreal where he recorded 242 tackles, 12 sacks, five forced fumbles (one returned for a touchdown) in 57 games. Venable was a CFL all-star in 2015 when the five-foot-11, 220-pounder made a career-high 103 tackles.