TSN: RIDERS TO ANNOUNCE CHRIS JONES AS HC/GM
TSN Edmonton reporter Ryan Rishaug broke the news on Sunday that the Saskatchewan Roughriders have hired Chris Jones as the club’s new General Manager and Head Coach.
TSN CFL Insider Lawless reports the news will be made official at a news conference on Monday in Regina.
**The Saskatchewan Roughriders have called a media conference for today, Monday, December 7th at 1:00pm. The media conference will be held in the Rider locker room at Mosaic Stadium.**
From Arash Madani/Sportsnet.ca:
Chris Jones, who turned the 4-14 Eskimos into Grey Cup champions in only two years, will be the next general manager and head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Jones interviewed with the Riders on Friday and accepted the job Sunday. While rumours had been rampant that Saskatchewan had interest in Jones’s services, they were not granted permission to speak to him until Tuesday, some 48 hours after the Esks won their first CFL title in a decade.
Jones will have full control of the football operations department in Saskatchewan with the dual title – which makes him one of the league’s top-paid executives. In Edmonton he had a considerable say in personnel, and “found” many of the American players in his free agent camps that became CFL stars, but he still reported to Eskimos general manager Ed Hervey.
The news of the Jones hiring was first reported by Edmonton’s Ryan Rishaug.
It was Jones who discovered talents such as rookie of the year Derel Walker, quarterback James Franklin, linebacker Dexter McCoil and the inimitable Odell Willis, to name a few.
Two years ago, any organization could have had Jones, who before being hired in Edmonton had never been a head coach in the CFL. While he had interest in becoming one, and previously interviewed for openings, there appeared to be a concern among owners and team presidents that his brash, no-nonsense demeanour would not be the right fit. Ironically, it’s that approach that makes so many of his players fondly of how he operates.
Jones routinely had the top defenses in the league while he was a coordinator, and he has now won championships in each of his four CFL stops (Montreal, Calgary, Toronto and Edmonton).
On Grey Cup Sunday morning, Sportsnet reported that the four finalists for the Riders GM position were Jones, Jeremy O’Day (who held the interim role since January), Stampeders assistant GM John Murphy and Ottawa assistant GM Brock Sunderland. As Sportsnet first reported O’Day had his “formal” interview with Saskatchewan rookie president Craig Reynolds on Friday, and last week Sportsnet reported that Sunderland and Reynolds had spoken during the CFL playoffs.
The deal with Jones and the Riders moved quickly on Sunday. Sources said that as recently as Saturday night, the football club had not yet made a formal offer and that financial figures were not presented during the first interview.
Reynolds has previously said that O’Day will remain with the Roughriders organization in some capacity.
Jones recruited Craig Dickenson to be his special teams coordinator in Edmonton (the two had previously worked together in Calgary) when he got the job in November, 2013. It is believed Dickenson will follow Jones to Saskatchewan or join his brother, Dave, now the head coach of the Stampeders.
Good move for the Riders. Onwards and upwards!
This is great news.
I GUESS THIS IS HOW THE NEW AGE OF MEDIA WORKS WITH A BUNCHA STORIES OUT THERE, WITHOUT ANYTHING FROM THE TEAM… WHILE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOD HIRE, I HOPE THEY ARE WRONG JUST SO THE DOLTS WHO PUSH THEIR HYPE THROUGH CAN FEEL THE BURN
Great move. I believe O'Day will be continuing as Assistant GM. It's a good day when you end up with both of your top candidates.
Thanks,
Dan
best case scenario is O'Day as assistant GM and maybe Craig Dickenson comes back?
Done deal and he'll likely bring all the coaches he brought into Edmonton with him.
yes I believe having both Jones and O'Day will satisfy almost everyone.
Ahh, what happened to the poll on this site? Still a few more days to vote on Jones or O'Day.
THANK YOU CRAIG REYNOLDS. I am renewing my season tickets tomorrow. Proud supporter here. Reynolds wants a winner just like the rest of us. Good Move.
Crappy choice – wait and see !!!!!
All you idiots will regret this choice and so will the RIDERS
Riders shaft O,Day – he deserves better than this from the Riders.
Thanks for your opinion Hopson. Now go away. Reynolds/Jones are in charge and you're not.
Did Darian give the Riders his approval?
Finally, someone with a legit football background. Can now come out of self imposed exile, resume being a Sask Roughriders football fan while putting my hard earned money where my mouth is in re-supporting the franchise. That last manager/head coach/president brutal. Thank you Mr Reynolds.
Reynolds, who has no previous hiring experience hired the sexy choice – what a bad call.
Jones is only in it for the money – no respect or commitment to the Riders.
2 years and he will be gone to the States – for more money and where he wants to be.
Riders will pay big time for this.
O,Dat will be a huge success as a GM with another team in no time – very sad day
Mrt-man…Go do your knitting and stay off of here if you don't like great Rider news. WE DON'T NEED YOUR KIND.
We all know how a big EGO fits in Riderville. This will not end well when things get ugly as they invariably do in Saskie.
Typical no class organization like the sliders to not even give Jones a week or two to enjoy his grey cup win ,the day after they win the cup the riders who are the worst team in CFL with the worst fans gotta interrupt him to buy his services get a life whiner nation
Only an Eskimo fan would be deluded enough to think that a CFL team is supposed to put their GM search on hold for two weeks in December so that the candidate can "enjoy his Grey Cup win."
What an utterly stupid thought.
Tillman stocked Edmonton's cupboards. Not Jones. Bad move.
So the Riders got rid of the guy who wanted to be Chris Jones, to get the real Chris Jones.
Excellent