John Sokolowski
CFL.ca Staff
WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced on Thursday that they’ve hired Casey Creehan as the team’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Creehan returns to Winnipeg after spending a year with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, where he served as defensive coordinator.
“Earlier this week, we granted the Winnipeg Blue Bombers permission to begin discussions with Casey Creehan regarding a vacancy on their coaching staff,” said Ticats Head Coach and Director of Football Operations George Cortez.
“Casey has subsequently resigned from his current position and reached an agreement with the Blue Bombers. I’d like to thank Casey for his hard work as a member of our team last season. The search for our next defensive coordinator will begin immediately.”
Creehan previously spent 2010-2011 in Winnipeg coaching the linebackers and defensive line. His return to Winnipeg reunites him with Coach Tim Burke, with whom he has coached in numerous CFL cities and together have come up with some of the league’s stingiest defences.
Beginning his tenure in Winnipeg as linebackers coach in 2010, Creehan helped oversee a unit that finished second in fewest yards net offence and allowed the fewest yards net passing while registering the most quarterback sacks.
Taking over as defensive line coach midway through the 2011 season, Creehan and Burke teamed up to form the league’s best defence, finishing first in 12 defensive categories including fewest first downs allowed, fewest yards net offence, most interceptions and most quarterback sacks for the second year in a row. 
Prior to his stint in Winnipeg, Creehan was once again apart of Burke’s defensive staff in 2008 as the linebackers coach of the Montreal Alouettes, who finished second in the league in rush defence, sacks and scoring defence as they captured the East Division Championship that season, before coaching the defensive line at Eastern Michigan University in 2009.
Creehan’s first foray into the CFL came in 2004 when he joined the Calgary Stampeders as their defensive line coach where he would remain for four seasons, participating in three playoff appearances. Calgary would also mark the first time Creehan and Burke would work together, the latter joining the team as defensive backs coach in 2005 before becoming interim defensive coordinator in 2007.
Creehan has also held coaching positions at James Madison University, Clarion University, Southern Illinois University and Lehigh University.
