The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are in the market for a new offensive coordinator as Buck Pierce was hired away as the head coach of the B.C. Lions.
The team reportedly interviewed Jordan Maksymic for the opening last week, though he has since joined the Edmonton Elks, his hometown team, in the same role. With arguably the top candidate now off the board, Winnipeg will have to look elsewhere for someone to take over their offensive attack as they look to qualify for a sixth-straight Grey Cup.
Below are eight candidates who should receive consideration. They are listed alphabetically by last name.
Kevin Bourgoin
The longtime NCAA assistant has been with the Blue Bombers for the past seven years, spending the last four as receivers coach. He’s helped players like Kenny Lawler, Dalton Schoen, and Nic Demski flourish into CFL stars and oversaw an outstanding rookie season from Ontaria Wilson in 2024. Bourgoin knows Winnipeg’s offensive system and clearly has the trust of head coach Mike O’Shea.
O’Shea promoted Jordan Younger and Mike Miller to the roles of defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator, respectively, this past off-season, illustrating how he likes to hire from within. If he chooses to do the same this time around, Bourgoin, who was an offensive coordinator during his long tenure at the University of Maine, could be considered the front-runner to replace Pierce.
Pete Costanza
All the native of New Jersey does is win. He’s won six Grey Cups, including four over the past six seasons, one of which came with the Blue Bombers in 2021. He’s been the passing game coordinator with the Toronto Argonauts for the past three seasons, helping the team enjoy success regardless of who is at quarterback — Chad Kelly, McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Nick Arbuckle, or Cameron Dukes.
Costanza has already coached in Winnipeg’s offensive system, previously serving as the team’s running backs coach, which could provide a seamless transition as the Blue Bombers look to qualify for the first home Grey Cup in franchise history.
Markus Howell
The 49-year-old native of Winnipeg, Man. has four years of experience as a pass-game coordinator and two years of experience as a run-game coordinator. He also took on extra responsibilities after Jarious Jackson was promoted to interim head coach with the Elks this past season, working with the quarterbacks and leading some practice sessions.
Howell was a receiver and return specialist for six seasons with the Blue Bombers and started his coaching career with the team, serving as receivers coach under O’Shea for two years. He unsuccessfully interviewed for Winnipeg’s offensive coordinator position following the 2015 season, though he has since gained valuable experience in stints with Saskatchewan, B.C., Toronto, and Edmonton.
Mike Lionello
The 34-year-old native of Vancouver, B.C. has spent the past three seasons as the receivers coach in Montreal, helping players like Cole Spieker, Charleston Rambo, and Tyson Philpot become household names. He also called offensive plays for the Alouettes for a stint in 2022 after Khari Jones was fired as the team’s head coach.
Lionello is still relatively young but he’s paid his dues, previously serving as an assistant with Simon Fraser University, the B.C. Lions, and Toronto Argonauts. O’Shea has tremendous respect for Montreal head coach Jason Maas, so it doesn’t seem farfetched to think he could try to hire one of his protégés.
Jarious Jackson
The 47-year-old native of Tupelo, Miss. has coached in the CFL every year since he retired, including stints as an offensive coordinator in B.C., Toronto, and Edmonton. The Elks had an excellent attack this past season despite missing the playoffs, finishing first in offensive points per game, second in net offence, first in average yards per rush, and second in average yards per play.
Jackson and O’Shea have never coached together, but they overlapped with the Toronto Argonauts in 2012 when the former was in the final year of his playing career at quarterback and the latter was the club’s special teams coordinator.
Khari Jones
The native of Hammond, Ind. remains a legend in Winnipeg as he spent five years rewriting the team’s record book at quarterback, winning M.O.P. in 2001. He has 14 years of coaching experience, including a four-year run as head coach with the Alouettes and 10 years as an offensive coordinator in Hamilton, B.C., Montreal, and Ottawa. He also remains close with team president and CEO Wade Miller.
“Being able to work with O’Shea would be pretty cool,” Jones told 3DownNation on Wednesday. “I’ve admired him for a bunch of years.” The 53-year-old is currently an assistant professor at Linfield University in Oregon and cited his current teaching experience as an asset that will help him become a better football coach in the future.
Paul LaPolice
The 54-year-old native of Nashua, N.H. has already had three separate stints with the Blue Bombers, so a fourth doesn’t seem impossible. He was popular in Winnipeg during his three-year stint as head coach, which ended when he became the scapegoat for incompetent general manager Joe Mack, and won a Grey Cup as the team’s offensive coordinator in 2019.
LaPolice has previously indicated that he’s content with his position as an analyst and broadcaster at TSN, though it remains unclear if he would consider a return to coaching in Winnipeg. He did not respond to a request for comment from 3DownNation on Wednesday.
Mike Miller
The 54-year-old native of Pittsburgh, Pa. has spent the past three seasons as the quarterbacks coach in Toronto, where he’s helped launch Chad Kelly to CFL stardom and reignite the career of Grey Cup MVP Nick Arbuckle. He was previously the offensive coordinator with the Arizona Cardinals and Montreal Alouettes, which is a strong resumé.
O’Shea likes people with experience and Miller has plenty of it, including 13 years in the NFL and seven in the NCAA. The only downside of his potential hiring would be that he has the same first and last name as Winnipeg’s special teams coordinator, which could prove confusing for all involved.
