| Team: | Toronto Argonauts |
| Year: | 1981 |
| Record: | 2–14 |
| Division Place: | 4th, East |
| Coach: | Willie Wood Tommy Hudspeth (interim)[1] |
| Stadium: | Exhibition Stadium[2] |
| Playoffs: | did not qualify |
| Uniform: | Image:CFL TOR Jersey 1981.png |
| Shortnavlink: | Argonauts seasons |
The 1981 Toronto Argonauts finished in fourth place in the East Division with a 2–14 record and failed to make the playoffs.
In spite of a 2–14 record, the Argonauts actually ended their season occupying the final playoff spot in the East (the crossover rule, intended to prevent such a weak third place team from making the playoffs, had not yet been implemented). Had the Montreal Alouettes lost their final regular season game against the Ottawa Rough Riders, they would have also finished 2–14 in which case the Argonauts would have qualified has they had scored more points in head-to-head games. However, Montreal won their last game to finish 3–13 and in third place.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Record | Record | Venue | Attendance | |
| 1 | July 2 | vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders | L 18–19 | 0–1 | Exhibition Stadium | 33,243 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | July 10 | at Montreal Alouettes | L 22–23 | 0–2 | Olympic Stadium | 35,281 | |
| 3 | July 16 | vs. BC Lions | L 29–32 | 0–3 | Exhibition Stadium | 37,116 | |
| 4 | July 25 | at Hamilton Tiger-Cats | L 13–57 | 0–4 | Ivor Wynne Stadium | 30,022 | |
| 5 | July 30 | vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers | L 18–21 | 0–5 | Exhibition Stadium | 36,102 | |
| 6 | Aug 7 | at Ottawa Rough Riders | L 11–38 | 0–6 | Lansdowne Park | 22,658 | |
| 7 | Aug 13 | vs. Edmonton Eskimos | L 12–22 | 0–7 | Exhibition Stadium | 38,268 | |
| 8 | Aug 23 | at Saskatchewan Roughriders | L 14–38 | 0–8 | Taylor Field | 26,100 | |
| 9 | Bye | ||||||
| 10 | Sept 7 | at Calgary Stampeders | L 5–23 | 0–9 | McMahon Stadium | 30,381 | |
| 11 | Sept 13 | vs. Ottawa Rough Riders | L 6–23 | 0–10 | Exhibition Stadium | 30,340 | |
| 12 | Sept 19 | at BC Lions | L 14–45 | 0–11 | Empire Stadium | 20,196 | |
| 13 | Sept 27 | vs. Calgary Stampeders | W 29–26 | 1–11 | Exhibition Stadium | 28,634 | |
| 14 | Bye | ||||||
| 15 | Oct 11 | at Winnipeg Blue Bombers | L 12–43 | 1–12 | Winnipeg Stadium | 22,757 | |
| 16 | Oct 17 | vs. Montreal Alouettes | W 20–14 | 2–12 | Exhibition Stadium | 31,038 | |
| 17 | Oct 24 | at Edmonton Eskimos | L 7–61 | 2–13 | Commonwealth Stadium | 46,146 | |
| 18 | Oct 31 | vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats | L 11–21 | 2–14 | Exhibition Stadium | 30,615 | |