Do Eskimos Have Their Man?

By Arash Madani
Sportsnet.ca /CKRM Sportscage Insider
 

REGINA -- The Edmonton Eskimos have found their next head coach.

Sources confirmed to Sportsnet.ca that Argos defensive coordinator Chris Jones has been offered the top job in Edmonton. Jones, who has three Grey Cup championships on his resume as a defensive assistant, has been seeking a head coaching job in the CFL for a number of years.

The news was first reported by Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun.

Jones was on a short candidate list in Edmonton, which included former Winnipeg head coach Paul LaPolice, one-time Saskatchewan coach Danny Barrett and Calgary defensive coordinator Rick Campbell, whom many believed was the front runner for the position.

Jones has been an assistant coach in the CFL since 2002, when, under Don Matthews with the Alouettes, he began writing his championship resume. He has won a title in each of his three stops (Montreal, Calgary, Toronto) and his understudy, Corey Chamblin, is coaching Saskatchewan in Sunday's Grey Cup.

Chamblin credited Jones for helping him break into the CFL, with Winnipeg in 2007 as an assistant. Chamblin worked for Jones on the Stampeders' defensive staff, which won the Grey Cup in 2008.

In addition to his defensive coordinator duties, Jones had the assistant head coach title added to his portfolio in Calgary. When he came to Toronto in 2011, he also became the Argonauts assistant general manager.

Jones had long sought out a CFL head coaching job, but since joining Scott Milanovich's staff in Toronto, he made it clear it was not as much of a priority. He gets his opportunity under Ed Hervey, who fired Kavis Reed at the end of Edmonton's season.

The Eskimos failed to make the playoffs in 2013. Jones has made the playoffs in every season coaching in the CFL.