The BC Lions Football Club today announced that Rick Campbell has been named the 27th head coach in team history.
Campbell, who will also serve as the team’s defensive coordinator, takes over the reins of the Leos after serving as head coach of the Ottawa RedBlacks from 2014 to 2019. In that time, the 48-year-old native of Spokane, Washington transformed the expansion club into an East Division power that enjoyed three trips to the Grey Cup in 2015, 2016 and 2018; taking home the title in an overtime win over Calgary in 2016.
“When we examined all of the qualities we wanted in a coach to lead the BC Lions, there is no doubt that Rick checks off every box,” said GM Ed Hervey. “His extensive coaching experience and past success combined with the universal respect he has earned from players and coaches across our league make him the best candidate for this position by quite a wide margin.”
Enjoying a varied, effective and accomplished coaching career which began more than 20 years ago as a graduate assistant at the University of Oregon, Campbell has served on coaching staffs in Edmonton (’99-’08, ’11), Winnipeg (2009) and Calgary (2010, ’12-’13) before being named Ottawa’s first head coach in 2014.
A three-time Grey Cup champion, Rick’s two decades spent in the CFL include roles as an assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, defensive backs coach and running backs coach. Rick was named the CFL’s Coach of the Year in 2015 after leading Ottawa to a Grey Cup appearance in just his second year at the helm.
“I am both grateful and elated to be coming to Vancouver for this incredible opportunity,” said Campbell. “This is a roster brimming with talent and a ton of untapped potential, and I can’t wait to get started with Ed on building a champion for fans of the Lions.”
Growing up in Edmonton and a graduate of Washington State University, Rick’s ties to coaching run deep as the son of Canadian Football Hall of Fame member Hugh Campbell who enjoyed a storied playing career with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and coached Edmonton’s historic five-in-a-row squads that won Grey Cup championships in 1978, ’79, ‘80, ‘81 and ’82.