CFL Notebook: Campbell Returns To Ottawa, Riders Sign Maier

Rick Campbell is back with the Ottawa Redblacks.

Campbell was named Ottawa’s special-teams co-ordinator Thursday. He served as the Redblacks first head coach from 2014-19, leading the franchise to a Grey Cup title in 2016 after being named the CFL’s coach of the year the previous season.

Campbell, 54, spent the last four years with the B.C. Lions as head coach/co-general manager. He has compiled an 82-92-2 regular-season record as a CFL head coach.

A native of Spokane, Wash., Campbell has also served as an assistant with Edmonton, Winnipeg and Calgary. He has been a part of three Grey Cup-winning teams.

Campbell’s father, Hugh, led Edmonton to six straight Grey Cup appearances (1977-82) as head coach, winning the last five. Hugh Campbell spent 33 seasons in the CFL as a player, coach, GM, president and CEO and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

When Rick Campbell won the Annis Stukus Trophy as the CFL’s coach of the year, it marked the first time in league history that a father and son had claimed the honour. Hugh Campbell recorded the accomplishment in 1979.

(CP)

REGINA – The Saskatchewan Roughriders signed veteran American quarterback Jake Maier on Thursday.

The deal reportedly is for one year. Saskatchewan obtained Maier from the Calgary Stampeders last month.

The six-foot, 200-pound Maier spent the previous four seasons with Calgary, starting 45 of 65 regular-season games.

 In 2024, he completed 357-of-494 passes for 3,841 yards (third in CFL) with 22 TDs (third overall) and 14 interceptions.

Maier’s first full season as a starter was 2023 and he threw for 4,244 yards, becoming just the 10th player in Stampeders’ history to crack the 4,000-yard plateau. 

As a rookie in 2021, he became the first CFL player ever to crack the 300-yard milestone in each of his first three starts.

VANCOUVER – Defensive lineman Tibo Debaillie signed a two-year contract extension with the B.C. Lions on Thursday. Debaillie was slated to become a free agent on Feb. 11.

The six-foot-four, 280-pound Belgian had eight tackles and a sack in 14 regular-season games with B.C. in 2024. He also became the first Global player to score a CFL touchdown when he returned a fumble 20 yards for a TD in a season-opening 35-27 road loss to the Toronto Argonauts on June 9.  Global players are those who do not hold Canadian or American citizenship.

HAMILTON – James Butler took full advantage of his head start on CFL free agency Thursday.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats released the veteran running back, who was slated to become a free agent Feb. 11. But hours later, the five-foot-eight, 215-pound Chicago native signed with the B.C. Lions, the team he began his CFL career with in 2021.

“JB’s track record as a proven runner in this league speaks for itself,” Lions general manager Ryan Rigmaiden said in a statement. “Both his pass protection and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield make him a great fit for (rookie head coach) Buck Pierce and our offence.

(Canadian Press)