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News August 27, 2023

The CFL mourns the passing of longtime coach Rich Stubler

Dominick Gravel/Montreal Alouettes

TORONTO — Longtime coach Rich Stubler, who served as either a defensive coordinator or head coach for six different CFL teams has died. The 74-year-old had a 50-plus-year coaching career with CFL stops in Calgary, Hamilton, Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal and BC.

He was a member of five Grey Cup-winning teams (1986 with Hamilton, 1993 with Edmonton, 2000 with BC, 2004 with Toronto and 2014 with Calgary). He also coached in the college game in the U.S. and in arena football.

“Rich was a football junkie,” Stampeders general manager and head coach Dave Dickenson said in a statement. “He lived his life to the fullest. We will miss his spirit but we are thankful to have had him as part of our Stampeders family.”

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Stubler was named Calgary’s defensive coordinator prior to the 2014 season and over two seasons in that role, the Stamps boasted one of the stingiest defences in the CFL. Calgary allowed 347 points in 2014 and 346 in 2015, finishing second in the league in that category in each of those seasons.

The Glenwood Springs, CO native first came to the CFL in 1983 to work as the Tiger-Cats’ defensive coordinator. His career saw him have multiple stays with numerous teams, including the Argonauts, Elks and Lions. He was the Argos’ head coach in 2008 and had a 4-6 record. Stubler’s final CFL stint came in 2021 when he served as an assistant on Ryan Dinwiddie’s staff.

“He will be missed,” Dinwiddie said in a statement. “Rich was old school; he had a wealth of knowledge and a real passion for the game. He invented the match defence that teams around the league still use today. He certainly made a deep impact on the Canadian game.”

Stubler’s American experience included time with NCAA programs like Colorado, New Mexico, Southern Methodist, Colorado State, New Mexico State, Oregon and the Detroit Fury of the Arena Football League.

As news of Stubler’s passing reached the wide web of teams, players and coaches he impacted through his career, they all began to share their thoughts on the man.

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