Winless Edmonton Elks Fire Head Coach, General Manager Chris Jones
The writing has been on the wall for a bit and finally the move was made. Chris Jones is no longer with the Edmonton Elks.
On Monday, the team announced they have relieved their head coach and general manager of his duties. Geroy Simon will take over as interim general manager, and offensive coordinator/quarterback coach Jarious Jackson will be the interim head coach.
“Chris worked extremely hard to improve our football team over the last several seasons and we thank him for that,” Elks president and CEO Rick LeLacheur said. “There’s no question we’re a better team today than we were the previous two seasons, but ultimately this is a results-based business and the wins haven’t materialized.”
“It’s always difficult to make changes of this significance during the season, but we owe it to everyone within the organization and to all our fans to hold people accountable when we fall short. There’s plenty of season remaining and we expect to see Geroy and Jarious help our players reach their full potential.”
- Elks president and CEO Rick LeLacheur
NEWS | General Manager and Head Coach Chris Jones has been relieved of his duties.
— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) July 15, 2024
Assistant General Manager Geroy Simon has been named interim general manager and Jarious Jackson becomes the interim head coach.https://t.co/r5rD8RjWTu
Jones’ first run in Edmonton was memorable, leading the team to two-winning seasons and a Grey Cup title in 2015 after just two seasons. He would spend the next three seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders going 27-27, with winning seasons in his last two years there.
His second time out with the Elks has been less than ideal, going just 8-33. Edmonton started the season with a 0-5 record before the move was made on Monday. The last four losses have been by three points in each game.
Jackson takes over in his second stint with the team. He was previously the offensive coordinator for the Toronto Argonauts and BC Lions. The team added that Jackson will still be the play caller on offense.
Simon has been the assistant general manager since 2022 and spent the previous seven years in the BC Lions’ front office. This will be his first time being a general manager. He owns the CFL record for receiving yards in a career with 16,352.
It’s a short week for the Elks as they have a rematch with the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday night after losing to the Redblacks on Sunday.
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ANTHONY MILLER