Former Hamilton Tiger-Cats head coach June Jones dies at 73
The innovative offensive coach led Hamilton to the East Division final in 2018 after taking over a winless team.
HAMILTON · The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Thursday that former head coach June Jones has died at age 73. Jones coached the CFL team for parts of the 2017 and 2018 seasons. A report from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser said he had been dealing with health problems and entered hospice care two weeks earlier. The initial announcement of his death came from Run & Shoot Certifications, a coaching clinic he co-founded.
Jones joined the Tiger-Cats as an assistant coach in August 2017. He was promoted to interim head coach that season after the team started with eight consecutive losses under Kent Austin. He took over a squad that had lost nine straight home games. "For me, I'm going to make it fun for the last 10 games and try to get some wins," Jones said at the time. He led the team to six victories over the remainder of that schedule.
Under his full leadership the next year, Hamilton finished with an 8-10 record and reached the East Division final. The Tiger-Cats lost that game 46-27 to the Ottawa Redblacks. Jones resigned in December 2018 to allow Orlondo Steinauer to become head coach, a move that preceded two consecutive Grey Cup appearances for the club. He stayed with Hamilton as offensive co-ordinator and assistant head coach before departing for an XFL job in Houston in May 2019.
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The Tiger-Cats issued a statement praising Jones's contributions. "Jones brought tremendous experience, an innovative offensive mind and a steady presence to Hamilton," the club said. "His belief in his players and commitment to helping them succeed left a lasting impression on those who worked alongside him." The statement also offered condolences to his family and friends.
His professional coaching career included three seasons as head coach of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons from 1994 to 1996. He also served as interim head coach for the San Diego Chargers in 1998. At the college level, Jones was head coach at the University of Hawaii from 1999 to 2007, compiling a 76-24 record. He later coached at Southern Methodist University from 2008 to 2014.
Jones had a prior connection to Canadian football as a player, serving as a backup quarterback for the Toronto Argonauts in 1982. He had previously played four seasons for the Atlanta Falcons. He was a proponent of the run-and-shoot offence, which he learned from coach Darel (Mouse) Davis at Portland State. The two later collaborated on an online coaching certification program for the system. His most recent coaching roles were in the XFL, where he led the Houston Roughnecks and was offensive coordinator for the Seattle Sea Dragons in 2023. Reports in 2024 indicated Jones was interested in a return to the CFL, but no opportunity materialized. Reflecting on his time in Hamilton, Jones once said, "It is a great city, it's my kind of city, and I'll have fond thoughts forever."
With files from The Canadian Press, Sportsnet and The Globe and Mail