A new chapter has unfolded for the BC Lions as the team made two major announcements on Wednesday. The Lions parted ways with Head Coach and Co-General Manager Rick Campbell and elevated Ryan Rigmaiden to the role of General Manager. Additionally, Neil McEvoy, who had served as Co-GM for the past four years, will now assume the position of President of Football Operations.
“We want to express our gratitude to Rick Campbell for his significant contribution to restoring our franchise’s competitiveness and respectability, especially during some challenging times when he first joined. Rick is an excellent coach and a valued friend,” said President Duane Vienneau. “We are excited about the new roles for Neil and Ryan as we already turn our focus to preparations for the 2025 season. Our objective remains unchanged: to contend for the Grey Cup every year.”
Campbell joined the Lions as head coach ahead of the 2020 season, which was ultimately canceled due to the pandemic. In 2021, the team posted a 5-9 record and missed the playoffs, a slight improvement over the 5-13 record of 2019. The following two years, 2022 and 2023, saw the Lions finish 12-6 each season, but they fell short in the Western Final both times, losing to Winnipeg after winning the Western Semi-Final at home.
The 2024 season, however, ended with a disappointing 9-9 record, and the Lions were eliminated from the playoffs in the Western Semi-Final with a 28-19 loss in Saskatchewan. Despite high expectations, especially with the team hosting the Grey Cup and receiving strong backing from owner Amar Doman, who allowed the team to exceed the salary cap for key signings such as quarterback Nathan Rourke and defensive end Mathieu Betts, the Lions’ performance fell short.
“Our owner has given us every resource needed to build a competitive team,” Vienneau remarked at the press conference. “However, we didn’t meet our expectations this year, and sometimes changes are necessary to take the next step forward.”
Although Campbell’s tenure in BC ended on a disappointing note, he has already garnered interest from the Edmonton Elks, who have received permission to interview him, according to Farhan Lalji.
In another significant move, the Lions revealed plans to explore trading quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., who began the 2024 season as the starter.
“We’ll be reaching out to teams tonight to explore trade options,” said General Manager Ryan Rigmaiden. “Vernon is an outstanding quarterback, and his leadership and character are well-known. Any team uncertain at the quarterback position would be wise to at least have a conversation with us.”
Adams started the season strong, throwing for 2,395 yards and 14 touchdowns with just 5 interceptions in the first 7 games, putting him on pace for a top-three passing yardage season in CFL history. However, his performance dipped after suffering an injury in a loss to Winnipeg, and while he finished the regular season with a solid outing against Montreal, his playoff performance fell short as the Lions were knocked out by Saskatchewan.
Despite Adams’ strong abilities, the Lions may face challenges in securing a high return for him in trade discussions. The 2024 season highlighted the depth of quarterback talent in the CFL, with several strong performers such as Davis Alexander in Montreal and Nick Arbuckle, who won the Grey Cup MVP for Toronto. Given the depth at quarterback, along with Adams’ hefty contract extension through 2026, it may be difficult for BC to find a trade partner willing to offer substantial compensation.
Rigmaiden, who was promoted to General Manager, brings extensive experience to the role. He spent the past three seasons as the Lions’ Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel and had a previous stint with the team from 2013 to 2017. He also worked with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 2018 to 2020 as Director of College Scouting and has a background in the Arena Football League, where he started with the Spokane Shock in 2006 before becoming their General Manager in 2010.
