Ottawa Redblacks hire Jim Popp as senior football advisor

Photo: Toronto Argonauts/Adam Pulicicchio

The Ottawa Redblacks have hired Jim Popp as a senior football advisor, the team announced on Monday. He has 28 years of experience in the Canadian Football League, most recently in 2019.

“We need to get better and there is no reason to wait until the offseason to start doing that,” said Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) president and CEO Mark Goudie in a statement.

“Jim has spent 28 years in this league and has been a part of building championship teams throughout his career. He brings a proven ability identify players who can succeed in the CFL, and he gives me an experienced and independent football perspective as we determine the right long-term structure for this organization.”

The team indicated that Popp will be tasked with advising Goudie regarding their decision on a permanent leadership structure for the team’s football operations. He will also work alongside the existing personnel staff to strengthen the club’s roster and player pipeline.

Popp was hired as the director of player personnel with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1992, then became the general manager of the Baltimore Stallion in 1994. He won his first Grey Cup with the Stallions in 1995, and he remained with the team when it moved to Montreal for the start of the 1996 season.

The 61-year-old stayed with the Alouettes until 2016, helping the team win three Grey Cups. He also had four different stints as the team’s head coach, posting a 22-36 record.

Popp did not return to Montreal following the 2016 season, bringing a 21-year run to an end. He completed his tenure as the general manager of the Stallions and Alouettes with a record of 254-159-1.

The native of Elkin, N.C. was hired as the general manager of the Toronto Argonauts in 2017 and won the Grey Cup that same year. He was fired near the end of the 2019 season, having gone 15-35 with the Boatmen.

“I have known Jim for a long time, and I have a lot of respect for what he has accomplished in the CFL. He brought me to Canada as a player and gave me my start in coaching,” said head coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie.

“He has a tremendous network and a proven ability to identify football talent. I’m looking forward to working with him as we continue to build this team.”

The Redblacks fired vice-president of football operations Shawn Burke on Sunday. The team is 0-10 this year, and has lost a modern CFL record 16 straight games. Through five seasons in Ottawa, Burke posted a 21-60-1 record.

Since departing the CFL, Popp has worked at Alabama State University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and in the United Football League.

The Ottawa Redblacks (0-10) will host the B.C. Lions (4-5) at TD Place Stadium on Sunday, August 30 with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT. The Lions are coming off a 30-16 win over B.C., while the Redblacks were blown out by the Montreal Alouettes.

The weather forecast in Ottawa calls for 23 degrees with a mix of sun and cloud. The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS2 in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the United States, and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 730 CKNW (English) or Sher-E-Punjab Radio AM 600 (Punjabi) in Vancouver or TSN 1200 in Ottawa.