BC Lions Announce Eight New Hires on 2025 Coaching Staff
A new era of BC Lions football is beginning with a brand new coaching staff entering the 2025 season.
On Thursday, the team announced eight new hires to the Lions' 2025 coaching staff. This includes two new coordinators, two offensive assistants, three defensive assistants and one overall assistant coach.
The team announced last month that former Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive coordinator Buck Pierce would be the new head coach after the team and former head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell parted ways following the conclusion of the season. Pierce will retain the offensive coordinator position with the Lions as he will call the plays.
#BCLions general manager Ryan Rigmaiden and head coach Buck Pierce announced eight more hires to the coaching staff this morning.
— BC LIONS (@BCLions) January 2, 2025
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Defensive coordinator Mike Benevides returns for his 15th season with the team. Benevides was previously the head coach of the Lions from 2012 through 2014.
After spending the last three seasons as the Ottawa Redblacks' special teams coordinator, Cory McDiarmid was named the Lions' special teams coordinator. He previously spent time in BC, starting his coaching career with the team from 2000 through 2002.
Here is the list of the rest of the coaches who were hired by the Lions to fill out the staff:
Kevin Bourgoin - wide receivers coach, passing game coordinator
Paul Charbonneau - offensive line coach
Ryan Phillips - secondary coach, passing game coordinator
Randy Melvin - defensive line coach
Glen Young - linebackers coach
Derek Oswalt – assistant coach
The Lions finished the 2024 season with a 9-9 record and a first-round loss in the playoffs. After Campbell left, BC also traded away starting quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. to the Calgary Stampeders with Nathan Rourke officially taking the reigns as starter.
Pierce and the new coaching staff are hoping to get the Lions back on track in 2025 and back to their winning ways.
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