OTTAWA — The Ottawa Redblacks are confident they’ve found the leader who can restore pride, direction and competitiveness to a franchise that’s struggled to find its footing in recent years.
On Thursday, the Redblacks, who have just one playoff appearance over the last six seasons, officially introduced Ryan Dinwiddie as their new head coach and general manager, signalling what team executives described as the start of a new era for the organization.
Dinwiddie, who spent the past five seasons as head coach of the Toronto Argonauts, will also take on offensive coordinator duties, marking the first time in his career that he’ll hold all three roles.
The 44-year-old led the Argos to a 51-35 record, won two Grey Cup titles and earned Coach of the Year honours in 2023.
“We’re in a pivotal time in our franchise’s history,” said Redblacks president, Adrian Sciarra. “We need to be better. We know that. Finding a coach who can come in on day one, command the room, been there and done that and drive us forward. That was our priority.”
Dinwiddie’s hiring comes with structural changes at the top of the football operations department.
Shawn Burke, who served as general manager for the past three seasons, has been promoted to vice-president of football operations and extended through the 2028 season. The move allows Burke to oversee the broader football infrastructure, including scouting, contracts, and operations, while Dinwiddie focuses on roster construction and on-field performance.
“Many teams have a VP of football operations and a general manager already,” Sciarra explained. “By bringing Ryan in this role and giving him authority over the roster as the general manager, certainly he needs the support of football operations to give him the tools needed to manage both jobs. Shawn and the entire staff will do that to make sure that he can balance.”
The process to secure Dinwiddie unfolded quickly. Ottawa received permission to speak with the Argonauts on Monday, held interviews Tuesday and Wednesday and finalized the deal shortly thereafter. Sciarra emphasized they wanted to move quickly once both parties were in agreement.
For Dinwiddie, the opportunity to take on expanded leadership responsibilities made Ottawa the right fit.
“Patience isn’t a virtue for me,” Dinwiddie said. “The opportunity came about and I just felt it was the right thing to do. I wanted to get to work and there’s no reason to wait a few weeks and see what else is out there. I knew this was the place for me and this is where I wanted to be. It’s a no-brainer and now we got a head start on the off-season.”
He acknowledged that expectations are high, and that accountability ultimately falls to him.
“The honeymoon part’s over now, we’ve got to put our boots on the ground and go to work,” Dinwiddie said. “We already got a head start on that the last few days. You’re judged off wins and losses. We’re hungry to turn this thing turned around. Redblacks Nation, they deserve that.”
Dinwiddie is looking forward to a collaborative relationship with Burke, highlighting that the two share a vision for how to rebuild the team.
“No egos,” he said. “We’re going to do what’s best for the football club and we’ll do that collectively. I have a lot to lean on Shawn about. He’s been doing this a long, long time.”
Burke described Dinwiddie as a “winner” and the clear choice from the start.
“I think we can all establish that Ryan’s a very competitive person, and I think that’s what you need as the leader of your organization,” Burke said. “And make no mistake, the coach is the leader of the organization. And his competitive mindset, his will to win, is just second to none that I see from anyone in the league.”
As Dinwiddie settles into his new role, his focus will quickly turn to evaluating the roster, building relationships with players, and preparing for the 2026 season.
After years of frustration, the Redblacks are chasing stability and success and believe this move marks the beginning of meaningful change in the nation’s capital.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2025.
Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press
