Bob Dyce
View on WikipediaBob Dyce (born December 3, 1965) is a Canadian professional football coach who is the special teams coordinator and assistant head coach for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He has also served as the head coach for the Ottawa Redblacks and Saskatchewan Roughriders. He is a Grey Cup champion after winning as an assistant coach with the Roughriders in 2013 and with the Redblacks in 2016. He attended the University of Manitoba where he played wide receiver with the Manitoba Bisons.[2]
Key Information
Coaching career
[edit]After spending time as an assistant coach in the Canadian Junior Football League and Canadian Interuniversity Sport, Dyce first joined his hometown Winnipeg Blue Bombers as the team's wide receivers coach in 2003. He served in that capacity for seven years before joining the Saskatchewan Roughriders to serve as the passing game coordinator and receivers coach in 2010. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2012, but switched to special teams coordinator the following year. The change proved fruitful as Dyce and the Roughriders won the 101st Grey Cup in their home stadium in 2013. He was promoted to head coach on August 31, 2015, following the dismissal of Corey Chamblin after an 0–9 start to the season.[3] Dyce finished with a 3–6 to end the season. He was then replaced as head coach of the Roughriders on December 7, 2015, by former Edmonton Eskimos head coach Chris Jones.[4] On December 18, 2015, Dyce was named the special teams coordinator for the Ottawa Redblacks.[4]
On October 1, 2022, following the firing of head coach Paul LaPolice, Dyce was named the team's interim head coach.[5] The Redblacks won their first match with Dyce in charge, defeating the Montreal Alouettes on October 9, 2022.[6] The team would go on to lose its final three games and finish in last place with only four wins and 14 losses. On November 29, 2022, it was reported by TSN insider Farhan Lalji that Dyce was one of three finalists for the vacant Redblacks head coaching job.[7] On December 2, the Redblacks removed the interim title and named Dyce as their next head coach.[8]
In his first full season as the head coach of the Redblacks, the team continued to struggle and finished with a second consecutive four-win season. In 2024, after the acquisition of quarterback Dru Brown, Dyce led the Redblacks to a 9–8–1 record, including a franchise best 7–1–1 record at home.[9] After finishing in third place in the East Division, the Redblacks faced the Toronto Argonauts where he lost his post-season debut 58–38.[9] In the 2025 season, despite having largely the same roster, the Redblacks reverted to a 4–14 record and Dyce was fired on October 25, 2025.[9]
On January 12, 2026, it was announced that Dyce had joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as the team's special teams coordinator and assistant head coach.[10]
CFL coaching record
[edit]| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Result | |||
| SSK | 2015 | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 5th in West Division | - | - | Missed playoffs | |
| OTT | 2022 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 4th in East Division | - | - | Missed playoffs | |
| OTT | 2023 | 4 | 14 | 0 | .222 | 4th in East Division | - | - | Missed playoffs | |
| OTT | 2024 | 9 | 8 | 1 | .528 | 3rd in East Division | 0 | 1 | Lost East Semi-Final | |
| OTT | 2025 | 4 | 14 | 0 | .222 | 4th in East Division | - | - | Missed playoffs | |
| Total | 21 | 45 | 1 | .241 | 0 Division Championships |
0 | 1 | 0 Grey Cups | ||
Personal life
[edit]Dyce and his life partner, Amanda, have their primary residence in Winnipeg.[10] They have three children, Brooklyn, Trysten, and Ava Dyce. Their only son Trysten Dyce, was also a coach in the CFL for five years.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ "Winnipegger Bob Dyce rolls on to coaching position with Ottawa RedBlacks". lWinnipeg Sun. December 18, 2015. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
- ^ "Bob Dyce takes the Riders' reins". leaderpost.com. September 2, 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
- ^ "Riderville Shakeup: Club parts ways with Taman, Chamblin". Canadian Football League. August 31, 2015.
- ^ a b "Dyce named Redblack special teams co-ordinator". Sportsnet. December 18, 2015.
- ^ "Redblacks part ways with head coach Pail LaPolice". Ottawa Redblacks. October 1, 2022.
- ^ "2022-10-10 Game Tracker - Ottawa Redblacks vs. Montreal Alouettes (6279)". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
- ^ TSN ca Staff (2022-11-29). "Ottawa Redblacks head coaching candidates list down to three". TSN. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
- ^ "Redblacks remove interim label, name Dyce head coach". TSN. December 2, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Redblacks relieve Bob Dyce of head coaching duties". Ottawa Redblacks. October 25, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Bob Dyce Brings Head Coaching Experience to His Special Teams Role". Hamilton Tiger-Cats. January 12, 2026.
External links
[edit]Bob Dyce
View on GrokipediaEarly life and education
Early life
Bob Dyce was born on December 3, 1965, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.[5] Dyce grew up in Winnipeg, where he developed an early interest in Canadian football through local community programs and school activities. His father played a key role in introducing him to the sport, often turning on CFL games at home, which sparked Dyce's fandom for the Edmonton Eskimos during his youth despite living in a city loyal to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He participated in minor football in Manitoba, an experience he later credited with shaping his foundational skills and passion for the game.[6] As a member of a Black Canadian family in the prairie province of Manitoba, Dyce navigated a context where representation in professional sports was limited, yet community involvement in football provided early opportunities for engagement. This background as the first Black Canadian to become a CFL head coach underscores the significance of his formative years in a diverse yet challenging environment.[1]University career
Bob Dyce attended the University of Manitoba in the late 1980s and early 1990s, where he pursued his undergraduate education in economics while playing college football for four seasons, including time at a U.S. college and as a wide receiver for the Manitoba Bisons in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (now U Sports) football.[6][7] His roots in Winnipeg had instilled a strong passion for football from a young age.[6] Dyce appeared on the Bisons roster in 1990, contributing to the team's efforts as a receiver during a period of regional prominence.[8]Coaching career
Junior and university roles
Following his playing career as a wide receiver for the University of Manitoba Bisons, Bob Dyce transitioned into coaching, beginning at the junior level.[6] Dyce started his coaching journey in 1992 as an assistant coach for the St. Vital Mustangs of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL), where he spent two seasons helping to guide the team.[9] In 1994, he moved to the Winnipeg Hawkeyes, also in the CJFL, serving as offensive coordinator and receivers coach for two seasons (1994–1995), contributing to the team's offensive strategies and player instruction.[9] In 1996, Dyce returned to his alma mater as receivers coach for the Manitoba Bisons of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), a position he held for seven seasons through 2002.[6] During this period, he focused on developing Canadian players in the receiving corps, emphasizing relationship-building and technical skills to enhance performance, while contributing to the program's overall foundation under head coach Brian Dobie.[10] His work helped cultivate talent within the CIS framework, laying groundwork for his later professional roles.[10]Professional assistant coaching
Bob Dyce entered the Canadian Football League (CFL) as the receivers coach for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2003, a position he held through the 2009 season.[11] In this role, he also oversaw the development of Canadian players, contributing to the team's personnel strategy during a period that included playoff appearances in 2003 and 2007.[7] His work with the Bombers laid the groundwork for his progression in professional coaching, building on earlier experiences in junior and university football. In 2010, Dyce joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders as both passing game coordinator and receivers coach, roles he maintained through the 2011 season.[12] He advanced to offensive coordinator for the Roughriders in 2012, where he helped shape the team's aerial attack during a season that ended with a Western Division semifinal loss.[13] Dyce then transitioned to special teams coordinator for Saskatchewan from 2013 to 2015, a tenure marked by the team's 101st Grey Cup victory in 2013, in which his unit played a key role in field position and coverage.[3] During the 2015 season, Dyce served as interim head coach for the Roughriders after the dismissal of Corey Chamblin, compiling a 3-6 record over the final nine games.[14] Following this stint, he moved to the Ottawa Redblacks in 2016 as special teams coordinator, a position he held through the 2022 season.[2] Under his guidance, Ottawa's special teams contributed to the franchise's first Grey Cup championship in 2016, highlighted by strong return units and kicking accuracy in the playoff run.[15]Head coaching tenure
Bob Dyce was appointed interim head coach of the Ottawa Redblacks on October 3, 2022, following the dismissal of Paul LaPolice with four games remaining in the season. Under his interim leadership, the Redblacks finished the 2022 campaign with a 1-3 record. On December 2, 2022, Dyce was named the permanent head coach, becoming the first Black Canadian-born head coach in Canadian Football League (CFL) history.[16][1] Dyce's promotion stemmed from his successful tenure as the Redblacks' special teams coordinator since 2016, where he had established a reputation for effective unit management. In his first full season as head coach in 2023, the team struggled to a 4-14 record, missing the playoffs. The 2024 season marked a turnaround, with Ottawa achieving a 9-8-1 record, including a franchise-best 7-1-1 home mark, securing their first playoff berth in five years before a loss in the East Semi-Final. However, performance regressed in 2025, culminating in a 4-14 finish and no playoff appearance.[2][17] Throughout his tenure, Dyce emphasized hiring the best available coaches based on merit while valuing diversity, assembling a staff that included a majority of Black coordinators and position coaches, such as offensive coordinator Khari Jones, defensive coordinator Barron Miles, running backs coach Nate Taylor, and receivers coach Travis Moore.[1][18] He also demonstrated flexibility in staff management by rehiring former head coach Rick Campbell as special teams coordinator in 2025, reflecting a philosophy of leveraging experienced voices to foster team improvement without fear of internal competition. Dyce's approach contributed to a team culture centered on excellence, hard work, and opportunity, providing mentorship to emerging coaches like Taylor and inspiring broader inclusion in the CFL.[19][1][20] On October 25, 2025, following the conclusion of the 2025 regular season, the Redblacks relieved Dyce of his head coaching duties after four seasons, ending his 22-year CFL coaching career that began in 2003 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.[2][21]Coaching records and achievements
CFL head coaching record
Bob Dyce's first head coaching experience came as an interim coach for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2015. His complete CFL head coaching record spans two teams over five seasons (including two interim stints), totaling 22 wins, 44 losses, and 1 tie in 67 regular-season games, for a winning percentage of .336.[21][5]| Year | Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Ties | Win % | Division Finish | Postseason Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 5th (West) | Did not qualify |
| 2022 | Ottawa Redblacks (interim) | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 4th (East) | Did not qualify |
| 2023 | Ottawa Redblacks | 18 | 9 | 8 | 1 | .528 | 3rd (East) | Lost East Semi-Final 38–10 vs. Toronto Argonauts |
| 2024 | Ottawa Redblacks | 18 | 5 | 13 | 0 | .278 | 4th (East) | Did not qualify |
| 2025 | Ottawa Redblacks | 18 | 4 | 14 | 0 | .222 | 4th (East) | Did not qualify |
| Total | 67 | 22 | 44 | 1 | .336 | 0–1 (.000) |