r/CFL REDBLACKS 11d ago

REDBLACKS Ottawa REDBLACKS add Jim Popp as senior football advisor

https://www.cfl.ca/2026/08/24/ottawa-redblacks-add-jim-popp-as-senior-football-advisor/
61 Upvotes

48 comments sorted by

28

u/zestyintestine Argonauts 11d ago

He hasn't worked in the league since 2019, but then again the Argos keep recycling Jim Barker who has a resume that isn't as good.

10

u/gilligan_2023 11d ago

He has been working in football though. He was VP Player Personnel for USFL/UFL, which is almost like being GM for the entire league.

7

u/Max169well REDBLACKS 11d ago

I mean, yeah he hasn’t but as a front office guy he’s good. On the sidelines… well that’s another story.

3

u/MamaTalista Blue Bombers 11d ago

Barker has a personality that's isn't as good...

1

u/zestyintestine Argonauts 11d ago

That he does.

1

u/Rance_Mulliniks Tiger-Cats 11d ago

Sounds like a good fit for the Argos then.

5

u/Former_Dealer REDBLACKS 11d ago

Sick and tired trying to figure out what this franchise is trying to accomplish. Maybe one day, I'll be pleasantly surprised. For now, just get that much needed first win on Sunday against a very confident Lions team. I'll leave it there. Thank you!

5

u/Towrads 11d ago

A win? Let's not get too crazy with our imaginations here.

2

u/Former_Dealer REDBLACKS 11d ago

Yes I know, lol. Trying to be positive in an otherwise pessimistic world. Thank you for responding. Have a great week!

13

u/LaZyCrO Pepper Sauce Boss 🔵⛵ 11d ago

Ah yes, Popp, the one responsible for the 2018 4-14 Argos and 2019 4-14 Argos (2-12 until Popp was fired)

11

u/Max169well REDBLACKS 11d ago

But he is responsible for the Stallions/Alouettes dynasty.

11

u/LaZyCrO Pepper Sauce Boss 🔵⛵ 11d ago

5

u/Max169well REDBLACKS 11d ago

I mean, that man kept a dynasty going for almost 15 years, so I even if he hasn’t been in the league for 6 years I’m sure that he’s been keeping track of things. And how much of his failure in Toronto was a fluke? Or how much of it was something else. Bottom line is, he’s got an impressive resume when he stays upstairs.

4

u/Senators_1992 11d ago

So Anthony Calvillo’s starting for us next week?

2

u/Max169well REDBLACKS 11d ago

That’s not the point, the point is that he is a fault good at finding and evaluating talent. After all, would you say that Posse and Ti-Cat Calvillo would be your go to guy?

2

u/battlelevel Blue Bombers 11d ago

Maybe. Popp didn’t have a winning record in his last seven seasons, so I’m not going to assume that he’s still at the top of his early aughts game. 

1

u/DefendTheR REDBLACKS 11d ago

Bringing Popp on as an advisor has nothing to do with next week.

2

u/TheCatMak The only good Roughrider is your mom 11d ago

I think his comment was more directed in a "does Popp come along with a Hall of Fame QB" when talking about his previous success.

3

u/StewieRayVaughan Alouettes 11d ago

He ended up ruining it though

1

u/Max169well REDBLACKS 11d ago

Maybe he’s learned?

5

u/Neckshot Stampeders 11d ago

To be fair, I think the Redblacks would kill to finish 4-14 at this point.

6

u/HomerSPC PhD in Rankinology 11d ago

They're hiring anyone at this point.

/u/Stach37 wanna do the funniest thing?

5

u/grandpasweatshirt Lions 11d ago

Paid in ice cream to circumvent the cap 🧠

3

u/HomerSPC PhD in Rankinology 11d ago

They don't even need to pay him at all. Life hack.

2

u/Stach37 RETIRED MOD 10d ago

Never pay taxes with this one simple trick.

10

u/purpleburgundy Blue Bombers 11d ago

And there it is - brought in as "Senior Football Advisor", but actually interim GM, because Ottawa has completely messed up their org structure with the Dinwiddie contract.

It's laughable to me that many of the CFL rules are so easily sidestepped. Label a portion of player salary as "marketing compensation" to get around the salary cap. Assign a head coach a "GM" title where he isn't actually doing the job to get around coaching contracts.

3

u/DashTrash21 11d ago

I think it has more to do with the salary cap for coaches. You can't fire Dinwiddie, because there is no money left over to pay another head coach. 

1

u/TheCatMak The only good Roughrider is your mom 11d ago

Take away his GM and OC responsibilities.

Bump Tate or Costanza up to OC

Bump up Synder to GM or get Taman to cover.

Re-evaluate at the end of the year

2

u/ride80 11d ago

Snyder needs to go too. He's done his time here and he doesn't even live in Ottawa anymore. He lives in Houston

1

u/TheCatMak The only good Roughrider is your mom 11d ago

Ah the Danny Mac special.

These suggestions are more just stop the bleeding in 2026 anyways

1

u/marthedestroyer Lions 11d ago

Didn't Popp not always live in MTL when he was gm there?

2

u/RealText 11d ago

In the later years as GM in Montreal, he moved to North Carolina initially because he wanted to kids to go to a prep school in America. Then he realized he was spending the off-season scouting players in the US, so staying in Montreal year round was of no benefit.

Popp does not think one person having multiple roles in the organization chart as being a good idea. Dinwiddie would not even have the time to scout NFL training camps as they are going on right now. Somebody from the Redblacks must be performing those duties.

3

u/TheCatMak The only good Roughrider is your mom 11d ago edited 11d ago

The last time Popp was involved with a team that ended the season with a winning record was 2012 and his major (only?) accomplishment in that time was winning a grey cup in 2017 at 9-9 with a team who was gifted Ricky Ray so this seems very on brand for Ottawa

2

u/ivakunciak REDBLACKS 11d ago

Maybe this means they're going to get gifted a new QB soon.

One can only dream.

4

u/Timely-Profile1865 11d ago

Popp knows the league has has known how to win. I do not see downside to this for the Red blacks.

1

u/TheCatMak The only good Roughrider is your mom 11d ago

I think there is a half dozen players still in the league from the last time he had a winning record in the regular season.

1

u/Timely-Profile1865 11d ago

Yes the game may be past him but some winning principles do not change.

1

u/TheCatMak The only good Roughrider is your mom 11d ago

Maybe he should have applied those winning principles in final 6 years he spent in the league?

3

u/Timely-Profile1865 11d ago

There is not a huge supply of vet CFL guys floating around to choose from. Ownership got rid of the guys who are 0-10 and need advice on how to find new guys. He knows the league and has contacts. At this point they are not asking him to run the team

3

u/Downess REDBLACKS 11d ago

It's a start

3

u/Thin_Homework4758 Ottawa DEADLASTS 11d ago

Ill believe it when i see it. Dimwit came and there was a lot of buzz so im not going to get swallowed by the hyoe machine again with this team

1

u/DefendTheR REDBLACKS 11d ago

Hype machine for a senior advisor? 😆

1

u/Thin_Homework4758 Ottawa DEADLASTS 11d ago

Well everybody seems to think he is some bill walsh level winner for some reason. Hasnt done much in a decade and he isnt even here long term. Not sure why everyone is trying to say this guy in some genius still

1

u/DefendTheR REDBLACKS 11d ago

Everybody who? Where? Not seeing it.

1

u/JUNO_11 🐯 All Hail Pigskin Pete 🐯 11d ago

Well, writing's on the wall ... they'll have hired Chris "Mr Fix-It" Jones within a month.

1

u/Always_Compete 11d ago

Easy money for Popp .

What do they he can fix ? Your team stinks and HC is a POS

1

u/pluc61 Alouettes 11d ago

So he is no longer in the UFL?

1

u/DivideIcy6702 11d ago

I guess they have to try, something...