Jim Popp eager to return to Canada with Redblacks

On Monday, the Ottawa Redblacks appointed Popp as a senior football adviser. The move came after the 0-10 club fired vice-president of football operations Shawn Burke on Sunday.

Six days earlier, team president Adrian Sciarra stepped down. Defensive co-ordinator Will Fields was let go Aug. 1 following Ottawa’s 0-7 start, replaced by special-teams co-ordinator Jeff Reinebold. Nate Taylor assumed Reinebold’s former role.

Since reaching the 2018 Grey Cup, Ottawa has made the playoffs once (2024).

Popp has spent 28 CFL seasons as a coach and front-office executive and been part of five Grey Cup-winning teams. His last tenure in Canada was as general manager of the Toronto Argonauts (2017-19), earning his last league title in his first season with the franchise.

Popp returns north after serving as senior vice-president of player personnel with the USFL/UFL (2022-2025).

“To be honest I never really looked or planned to exit Canada … it’s just things happened the way they did,” Popp said Tuesday. “I’ve embraced Canada, I love the CFL and its history, Canada is a second home for me, all of my six kids were born there.

“It’s a great opportunity to jump back in and be a part of something I love.”

Ottawa’s situation presents a big challenge. The Redblacks have dropped 16 straight regular-season games dating back to last year, tying the CFL’s modern-era record (since Second World War) set by the Hamilton Wildcats (1948-49).

Popp said it’s way too early to determine what his first order of business will be with Ottawa.

“I’ve been on the phone, obviously, with Mark (Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group CEO Mark Goudie) and Ryan (head coach/GM Ryan Dinwiddie) but we all need to sit down and go through the nuts and bolts of everything,” Popp said. “I’m going to help Mark in areas that he needs help in as an adviser and try to do whatever I can for Coach (Dinwiddie) but I’ve also got to meet with and get to know everyone in the organization as well.

“Obviously, there’ll probably be some personnel changes at some point (but) you can’t just go crazy because guys have to know what they’re doing on the field. That’s going to take some time … I’ll be watching plenty of film.”

Popp will have some time to fully assess his new situation. The Redblacks host the B.C. Lions on Sunday night then are off until Sept. 12 when they visit Toronto.

Ottawa is ranked last overall in offensive points per game (21.5), rushing (55 yards) and tied with Winnipeg for last in offensive TDs (20). The Redblacks are sixth in passing (294.4 yards per game) but tied for last with the Bombers in TD passes (12).

Defensively, Ottawa is last in sacks (14), second-down conversions allowed (56.7 per cent), pass defence (329.6 yards), offensive points (35.5) and offensive touchdowns surrendered (37).