After an 0-5 start to the 2024 season, the Edmonton Elks are shaking things up.
The Elks fired head coach and general manager Chris Jones on Monday, the team announced.
Assistant general manager Geroy Simon will take over as the interim general manager, while offensive co-ordinator and quarterbacks coach Jarious Jackson will become the team’s interim head coach.
Jones had a disastrous stretch with the Elks after he was hired in December of 2021. Over the course of two-plus seasons, the Elks had a combined record of 8-33 under Jones’ leadership — including an 0-5 start this season.
It was Jones’ second stint with Edmonton, as he led the team to a Grey Cup win in 2015. However, he left a bad taste in the mouth of many fans as he left Edmonton right after the 2015 Grey Cup win to take the reins with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“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 in a team-released statement. “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.”
The move to remove Jones comes at a time when the team is also considering selling to a private ownership group for the first time in the franchise’s 75-year history.
Edmonton’s football team has been community-owned since it was founded in 1949.
Despite sitting at the bottom of the West Division, the Elks have had plenty of chances to win this season. Over their five losses, the team has a point differential of just minus-20.
Edmonton has had a number of heart-breaking fourth-quarter losses this season, including their 37-34 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks on Sunday when a back-breaking penalty for kicking the ball out of bounds on the kickoff led to a Redblacks’ walk-off field goal with no time remaining.
The Edmonton Elks made a shocking announcement today as they have decided to dismiss head coach and general manager Chris Jones. This decision comes as a surprise to many fans and analysts, as Jones has been with the team for just over a year.
Jones, who was hired in December 2020, was brought in to help turn around the struggling franchise. However, the team has continued to underperform under his leadership, with a disappointing record of 3-11 this season.
The decision to let go of Jones was not taken lightly by the organization, but ultimately, they felt that a change was necessary in order to move the team in a new direction. In a statement released by the team, they thanked Jones for his contributions and wished him the best in his future endeavors.
The search for a new head coach and general manager will now begin, as the Elks look to find someone who can lead the team to success. It will be interesting to see who they choose to fill these important roles and what changes they will bring to the team.
In the meantime, fans are left wondering what the future holds for the Edmonton Elks and how this decision will impact the rest of the season. Only time will tell if this change will be beneficial for the team or if it will lead to more uncertainty and instability.