TORONTO — Age and injuries haven't dampened Ricky Ray's desire to play football.

Ray opened the Toronto Argonauts' rookie camp as the starter following an uncertain off-season that left Ray pondering his football future.

But the 37-year-old Californian says retirement was never an option, and that even after 14 CFL seasons he's still not ready to retire.

After starting 17 games in 2014, Ray missed 15 contests in 2015 following shoulder surgery.

Last year, a sprained knee and deflated lung combined to limit Ray to just nine games and his role in Toronto became a question following the late-season acquisition of veteran quarterback Drew Willy from Winnipeg.

But upon being hired in March, head coach Marc Trestman named Ray as his 2017 starter.