When looking at the Canadian Football League this season, there have been certain teams that have been disappointing. And when you have disappointing teams, you have to look at the head coaches and coordinators.
I’m going to go over three coaches that I feel could potentially be on the chopping block as the 2026 CFL season comes to a close.
Scott Milanovich, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
When you look at the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, this team was destined to fight for first in the East. I understand losing Bo Levi Mitchell was a critical injury, and you can put a lot of why this team has struggled on that. However, I always said Chad Kelly can’t be the only reason why Toronto failed last year, so Bo Levi Mitchell can’t be the only reason why Hamilton is failing this year. Injuries are injuries; they happen. Good coaches and good structures find ways to win ball games regardless. I don’t understand the way Scott Milanovich has handled the quarterback situation. He started Jake Dolegala in the first place after Bo’s injury, when you spent all that money to go get Tre Ford as your backup quarterback. Then you give Tre Ford limited games before going to Morgan Frost, who has next to no experience, only to keep flip-flopping between Frost and Ford.
Scott Milanovich has also been called a quarterback whisperer. However, when you look at his history and the amazing quarterbacks he’s worked with, I have to ask: is he really a quarterback whisperer, or has he just had the opportunity to work with some of the best quarterbacks we’ve seen in the modern era of the Canadian Football League? We’re talking about Anthony Calvillo, Ricky Ray, Zach Collaros, Trevor Harris and now Bo Levi Mitchell. There is no question Milanovich deserves some credit, especially for the development of quarterbacks like Collaros and Harris. But when you’ve had that much talent at the quarterback position throughout your career, I think it’s fair to question how much of the success is the system and how much is simply having great quarterbacks.
You can see that offense is not comfortable with the quarterback position. Players are going offside, offensive linemen are not handling the snap count correctly, and this offense looks completely out of sync. The quarterback carousel has been a major problem for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and a lot of the blame for the carousel is on Scott Milanovich.
I personally wasn’t even sure if he should have been back after what happened in the East Final last year, where that offense could not put up points whatsoever. It’s ridiculous that in a year where you have Bo Levi Mitchell and you have Kenny Lawler, they just could not get it done. Speaking of Kenny Lawler, why has he been so invisible? He is one of the best receivers in this league, and Scott Milanovich is not drawing up plays to get him more involved in the offense. That’s another huge reason why Hamilton is not winning games.
Add that to the fact that they have not really done anything to try to fix their run game, sticking with the same running back in Larry Rountree III until Labour Day. Out of all games to decide to make a change, the Labour Day game is not the game to put someone in for their first-ever CFL rep. That is absolutely ludicrous.
For those reasons alone, I feel Scott Milanovich will not be the coach of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats heading into next season.
Dave Dickenson, Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders, for me, were a team that absolutely had to be better this year. The Grey Cup is in Calgary, and they spent money bringing in key pieces. They brought in Dejon Brissett. They brought in Ajou Ajou. They extended Vernon Adams Jr. They have one of the best running backs in Dedrick Mills. They have Hicks and Flo on their defensive line. When you look at this team, it should be better.
The Calgary Stampeders have spent a fortune when it comes to that defense, and they’re giving up the second-most points in the CFL. And the offense is not clicking as well as it should be when you look at the players. Dejon Brissett has not fit into this system. Vernon Adams Jr., sure, you’ve made it so he throws fewer interceptions. He’s also less explosive, and that has been a humongous issue for the Calgary Stampeders. The Stampeders have also lost too many games in the final three minutes. There have been too many games that they could have won that they just have not found a way to win. At some point, that has to come down to coaching and finding ways to close out football games.
Plus, when you look at the way they have played against teams in their own division, clearly they are not scheming enough. Clearly they are not doing enough things. Clearly they are not changing their game up enough against teams they have already played. This team is really struggling in its own division, and they are losing too many games against teams that they need to beat. And that, again, really comes down to play calling and coaching. The offense is too predictable, the defense is too predictable, and this team is just not finding a way to close games out.
The Stampeders are currently on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs, and after the back-to-back games versus Edmonton, this team just looks completely lost. If they lose to the 0-12 Ottawa Redblacks this week, I really don’t know if Calgary can make the playoffs. Even now, I am not confident in this team whatsoever. I really feel Dave Dickenson has just been the coach in Calgary for too long. The team does not seem to be responding to him, and the team honestly just looks flat. I think it might be time for a change in Calgary, and Dave Dickenson might just need to leave the head coaching position. Whether he takes on more of a general manager’s role and works in the front office, or he isn’t working with the Calgary Stampeders anymore if he still wants to be a head coach, something needs to change.
I truly feel if this team does not make the playoffs this year and does not have a decent playoff run, Dave Dickenson can’t return as your head coach moving forward. There have just been too many games this team should have won and didn’t, and that’s another reason why I think it is time to move on from Dave Dickenson.
Tommy Condell, Winnipeg Blue Bombers Offensive Coordinator
When you look at the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, this offense has just not been good enough. They are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league. They do not hit enough explosive plays, and they do have players that I feel should be able to make this team explosive.
Zach Collaros is a future Hall of Famer. Brady Oliveira, again, is a top-three running back in this league. Nic Demski is consistently one of the best wide receivers in the CFL. Pokey Wilson is coming off another strong campaign last season and had a phenomenal rookie campaign in his first year. And with the additions of Tim White and Tommy Nield, I was really expecting this offense to be very good. However, even when Collaros is healthy and all the receivers are healthy, this team just cannot seem to put up a lot of points. The Tommy Condell offense—a lot of screens, quick drag routes and not enough RPOs—has just not worked in Winnipeg.
If the Winnipeg Blue Bombers don’t have a decent playoff run, or if they don’t make the playoffs, and you look at the lacklustre offense as the reason, I think Tommy Condell might be out the door. A part of me would love to see Michael O’Shea here, but I don’t think Michael O’Shea will be fired. Michael O’Shea to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers is like Ted Lasso to AFC Richmond. He is part of the culture. He is a major reason why this team has had so much success.
I think O’Shea could have an absolutely abysmal season, and he would still at least get one more year to try to turn things around. He’s made the playoffs in the last six years, been to the Grey Cup five times and won twice. O’Shea is not going anywhere, although truthfully, I do feel in some ways this team could use a change at the top. But with that not happening, I really think Tommy Condell might be a one-and-done in Winnipeg.
The fans seem frustrated. The players look frustrated at times, and when you just can’t hit explosive plays, it is really difficult to win football games in the CFL. And when we look at Tommy Condell’s history, I felt he struggled in Hamilton at times with the explosive plays. We all know in Ottawa the offense did not score enough points. So maybe it wasn’t all the quarterbacks in Ottawa. Maybe it wasn’t the lack of diverse receivers in Hamilton. Maybe it was the fact that Tommy Condell’s offense is just too easy to read for other teams.
And that is why I feel Tommy Condell might be gone by the end of this season.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, winning is what matters in the CFL. Injuries happen, players struggle, and things don’t always go according to plan. But when teams continue to make the same mistakes and don’t find ways to win football games, eventually you have to look at the coaching staff.
There is still time left in the season for Scott Milanovich, Dave Dickenson and Tommy Condell to change the narrative. But if their teams continue down the path they’re on, we could see some major changes once the 2026 CFL season comes to an end.
