The B.C. Lions swung the axe on head coach Rick Campbell last week and now they’ll have to find something new to plant in the stump.
Newly promoted general manager Ryan Rigmaiden has not provided a timeline to hire a replacement but has said that interviews will begin Monday, with eight to ten candidates expected to be lined up. “Leadership, accountability, and toughness” are the three key principles guiding the search, as they hope to have the new coach’s personality rub off on a roster that management felt was mentally weak last year.
A focus on the quarterback position will also be imperative, as Canadian star Nathan Rourke will become the CFL’s highest-paid player next season but struggled in his return from the NFL. That gives a significant advantage to offensive voices in the hiring process, as the team tries to set their young gunslinger up for success.
Here are eight candidates who could be in the running to be the B.C. Lions’ 30th head coach.
Buck Pierce, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Current job: Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach
It should come as no surprise that the front-runner for the Lions is also the league’s most successful offensive coordinator over the last four seasons. Pierce has been a big part of the Bombers making it to five straight Grey Cups, has transformed Zach Collaros into a two-time M.O.P, and helped develop Dru Brown into a high-calibre CFL starting QB. He also has strong ties to the Lions, who brought him north as a rookie quarterback back in 2005. Pierce went on to start 35 games for the team and looks back on his time in Vancouver fondly, even if his latest experience at BC Place was more of a nightmare.
Jordan Maksymic, B.C. Lions
Current job: Offensive coordinator
Teams that fire coaches after disappointing seasons rarely promote from within but the risk of losing Maksymic will make the Lions strongly consider it. The 37-year-old has quickly established himself as the CFL’s hottest young offensive guru thanks to his high-flying passing attacks and, more importantly, was a key reason why Rourke wanted to come back to B.C. Letting your star quarterback’s favourite play-caller walk at a low point in his career is a risky proposition and the St. Albert, Alta. native could soon head home to the Elks if the Lions don’t make it worth his while to stay.
Marc Mueller, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Current job: Offensive coordinator
A product of the Stampeders’ golden years, there are plenty of people around the league who will tell you that Mueller is a head coach in the making. The catch is a lack of experience, as the 35-year-old has spent just one season as a full-time offensive play-caller compared to five for the similarly young Maksymic. The results during his first year in Saskatchewan were promising, finishing in the top half of the league for passing and points scored despite missing Trevor Harris for six games. The question is whether it was enough for the Lions to take a leap of faith with Ron Lancaster’s grandson.
Ryan Phillips, B.C. Lions
Current job: Defensive coordinator and assistant head coach
Another internal candidate who has been promised a look, Phillips has the unique distinction of being the only coach under contract for next season — which means there will be football ops cap ramifications if he isn’t retained. The 42-year-old is basically synonymous with the Lions after 11 seasons with the team as a player and another five as a coach, having previously survived the death of the DeVone Claybrooks era. His leadership of the defence has been mostly exemplary as well, though he struggled to patch the team’s fatal flaws in 2024.
Mark Kilam, Free Agent
Last job: Special teams coordinator and assistant head coach (Calgary)
When Rigmaiden laid out his priorities in a coach, he seemed to be describing Kilam to a tee. Prior to being scapegoated by the Stampeders this season, the Lethbridge, Alta. native had developed a well-earned reputation as a fiery players coach and was often put on the short list of future bench bosses. While the Lions sure could use his combination of passion and grit injected into the team, the problem with hiring Kilam is that it would leave the team scrambling for an OC to take care of their high-priced quarterback. Even so, they may determine the change in mentality is worth it.
Paul LaPolice, Free Agent
Last job: Head coach and offensive coordinator (Ottawa)
Yes, it’s true, CFL teams have been there and done that with LaPolice as a head coach — twice. His dismal 22-50 career record has made most write him off as a candidate, but his play-calling ability remains highly respected after he helped the Bombers win their first Grey Cup in 2019. If a top candidate like Pierce were to decline the job for personal reasons — as he has done in the past — an experienced retread with offensive expertise becomes an attractive consideration.
Mark Washington, Free Agent
Last job: Defensive coordinator and assistant head coach (Hamilton)
The second candidate on this list to have been fired in 2024, Washington still has a lot of supporters in B.C. The 51-year-old played five years with the Lions and then coached for the team for over a decade, developing a reputation as a strong leader of men. There is a belief that the disappointing results during his final years in Hamilton had more to do with personnel than coaching, though that may not be enough to overcome the inherent challenges that come with hiring a defensive head coach.
Khari Jones, Free Agent
Last job: Offensive coordinator and assistant head coach (Ottawa)
After a year out of coaching, Jones’ name hasn’t been circulated much as a candidate but he’s worth watching as a candidate. The former M.O.P. quarterback deserves another shot after he went 18-18 as a head coach in Montreal and made the playoffs in consecutive seasons before being forced out by Danny Maciocia. With experienced candidates few and far between, a return to the team he called plays for from 2014 to 2017 doesn’t seem ludicrous — especially since he has made B.C. his permanent home.
