The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were granted permission to interview Toronto Argonauts’ quarterbacks coach Mike Miller for their vacant offensive coordinator position last month, according to head coach Ryan Dinwiddie.
“You’ve gotta let your coaches have an opportunity to grow and I’m not going to hold Mike back — obviously, if it’s a coordinator job, he’s gotta take it,” said Dinwiddie on Tuesday. “He’s shown how he can develop (quarterbacks in the CFL). He’s been great to work with, loyal guy — very relatable to the quarterback, so I think he’d be a great hire.”
Miller has spent the past three seasons in Toronto, helping McLeod Bethel-Thompson and Nick Arbuckle win Grey Cups as starters and Chad Kelly win M.O.P. The 54-year-old native of Pittsburgh, Pa., has almost 30 years of coaching experience, including stints as the offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals (2011-12) and assistant head coach and offensive coordinator of the Montreal Alouettes (2013).
The Clarion University product has the same first and last name as Winnipeg special teams coordinator Mike Miller, which could lead to confusion if he is hired. They also share the same first name as head coach Mike O’Shea, which would only further add to the bizarre name game in Bomberland.
O’Shea declined to provide a timeline for hiring a new offensive coordinator on Monday, saying he likes where he’s at in the process. The job has been vacant for six weeks since Buck Pierce was hired as the head coach of the B.C. Lions.
Other potential candidates include Montreal passing game coordinator and receivers coach Mike Lionello, former Edmonton offensive coordinator and interim head coach Jarious Jackson, and former Montreal head coach and Winnipeg quarterback Khari Jones.
According to Dinwiddie, Pete Costanza, who helped Winnipeg win a Grey Cup in 2021 and is now the passing game coordinator and receiver coach with the Argonauts, didn’t receive a request to interview with the Blue Bombers.