The Ottawa Redblacks have hired Ryan Dinwiddie as the team's head coach and general manager, signing him to a three-year contract through the 2028 CFL season.
“Ryan is a proven winner with a track record of developing players and leading successful teams. His vision, leadership and competitiveness make him the right person to partner with Sean Burke in leading our soccer club,” team president Adrian Sciarra said in a statement.
The 44-year-old spent the last five seasons as head coach of the Toronto Argonauts, posting a 51-35 regular-season win-loss record. During Dinwiddie's tenure, Double Blue finished first in the Eastern Division three times and won two Gray Cups.
“This is a proud organization with a passionate following and a strong foundation to build upon,” Dinwiddie said in a statement. “I look forward to working with Sean to build our football club and create a winning culture here in the nation’s capital with the goal of bringing sustained success and the Gray Cup back to Ottawa.”
Sean Burke, Ottawa's former general manager, will remain with the team as vice president of football operations. He also signed an extension until 2028.
“Ryan has a tremendous football mind and competitive spirit that fits perfectly with what we want in Ottawa,” Burke said in a statement. “He has shown that he can get the most out of his players and staff, and we are confident that his experience will have an immediate impact on our organization.”
The Redblacks fired head coach Bob Dies in late October. after the team finished last in the East Division standings with a 4-14 record. Ottawa went 18-39-1 in just over three years under Dice, a deal that began on a temporary basis following the firing of Paul LaPolice.
The Redblacks missed the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Drew Brown went 2-7 in nine starts at quarterback, throwing for 2,389 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Dustin Crum went 2-4 in six starts, throwing for 1,771 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions.
Ottawa ranked sixth in net offense, fifth in net defense and ninth with a minus-16 turnover differential. The team's leading rusher was William Stanback with 698 yards, the leading receiver was Justin Hardy with 1,019 yards, and the leading tackler was Adarius Pickett with 84 tackles. Ottawa ranked eighth in attendance with an average attendance of 18,136, down 4.2 per cent from the previous year.
