Photo courtesy: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography
The B.C. Lions have hired veteran CFL coach Mark Washington as their linebackers coach, the team announced on Wednesday.
The 52-year-old most recently served as the defensive coordinator of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, though he was fired partway through the 2024 season.
The native of Washington, D.C. started his coaching career in B.C. in 2008, spending six seasons as defensive backs coach. In 2014, he was promoted to the role of defensive coordinator, a position he held until he departed for Hamilton in 2019.
The five-foot-nine, 180-pound defender played eleven seasons in the CFL as a member of the Montreal Alouettes and Lions. He recorded 483 defensive tackles, 48 special teams tackles, 17 interceptions, 12 fumble recoveries, and one sack over 156 regular-season game. He earned an All-West Division selection in 2003 and won the Tom Pate Memorial Award in 2006.
“We’re very excited to have continuity on our staff, which will be greatly beneficial in the pursuit of our end goal in 2026,” said head coach Buck Pierce in a statement. “Coach Washington also brings another experienced football mind and has familiarity with how we want to build our defence. He will fit in perfectly with the linebackers on our roster.”
The rest of B.C.’s coaching staff remains essentially unchanged from last year.
Buck Pierce — head coach, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach
Mike Benevides — defensive coordinator
Cory McDiarmid — special teams coordinator
Kevin Bourgoin — receivers coach, pass game coordinator
Paul Charbonneau — offensive line coach, run game coordinator
Kristian Matte — running backs, assistant offensive line coach
Ryan Phillips — secondary coach, pass game coordinator
Randy Melvin — defensive line coach
Mark Washington — linebackers coach
Derek Oswalt — assistant receivers coach
The B.C. Lions signed defensive lineman Casey Sayles and linebacker Darnell Sankey after they were released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes, respectively, though the team was relatively inactive in free agency. The team’s major departure was All-CFL offensive lineman Jarell Broxton, who signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The Lions hold the seventh overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. B.C. will play its first preseason game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, May 23 and its first regular-season game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, June 13.
In 2025, B.C. finished second in the West Division standings with an 11-7 record. They beat the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final but lost the West Final to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Franchise quarterback Nathan Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions to be named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.
