Former Hamilton Tiger-Cats head coach June Jones dead at 73

Photo courtesy: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography

Former Hamilton Tiger-Cats head coach June Jones has passed away at the age of 73.

The news was first announced on social media by Run & Shoot Certifications, a coaching clinic that Jones co-founded with former Toronto offensive coordinator Mouse Davis.

Jones spent parts of two seasons as a head coach in the CFL, taking over an 0-8 Hamilton Tiger-Cats team in 2017 and leading them to six wins in their final 10 games. He then guided the Ticats to an 8-10 record in 2018, finishing second in the East and reaching the division final before losing to Ottawa. He stepped aside in December 2018 to allow Orlondo Steinauer to take over the head coach role in Hamilton, laying the foundation for a team that made two straight Grey Cup appearances.

The club released the following statement following the news of Jones’ death.

“The Hamilton Tiger-Cats Football Club is deeply saddened by the passing of June Jones, who served as the team’s head coach during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

A respected coach whose career spanned U.S. college football, the NFL and the CFL, Jones brought tremendous experience, an innovative offensive mind and a steady presence to Hamilton. He helped restore the team’s winning ways upon his arrival in 2017 and guided the Tiger-Cats to the Eastern Final the following season. His belief in his players and commitment to helping them succeed left a lasting impression on those who worked alongside him.

The Tiger-Cats extend their heartfelt condolences to the Jones family, his friends and the larger football community mourning his loss. Our thoughts are with the players, coaches and colleagues whose lives he impacted during his career.”

As a player, Jones also served as a backup quarterback for the Toronto Argonauts in 1982, after playing four seasons with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. He was later the quarterbacks coach for the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1986.

The Portland, Ore. native has 13 seasons of NFL coaching experience and 16 years at the NCAA level. He served as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 1994-1996 and was the interim head coach of the San Diego Chargers in 1998. He later served as head coach of the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks and offensive coordinator of the Seattle Sea Dragons in 2023.

He was the head coach of the University of Hawaii from 1999 until 2007, posting a 76-24 overall record and an undefeated regular season in his final year. He publicly lobbied to return to the job in 2022, before a heated public spat with the university. Jones later served as head coach at Southern Methodist University from 2008 to 2014, posting a 36-43 record.

As recently as 2024, it was reported that Jones had interest in making a return to the CFL, though an opportunity to do so never emerged.