Elks hire Chris Jones as head coach and GM

Chris Jones is back at Commonwealth Stadium.

The Edmonton Elks hired Jones, who led them to their most recent Grey Cup title in 2015, as their new head coach and general manager, the team announced Tuesday.

Jones signed a four-year contract, Elks chairman Ian Murray said, according to 630 CHED's Ian Murray. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The 54-year-old's first stint on Edmonton's sidelines from 2014-15 saw him post a .722 winning percentage in two seasons and culminated in the franchise's championship. Barely a week after lifting the Grey Cup, Jones left to join the Saskatchewan Roughriders as their head coach and GM.

Jones returned to the CFL partway through 2021 as the Toronto Argonauts' defensive consultant. He joined the Argos after a brief stint as head coach at Tennessee's South Pittsburg High School.

Regarded as one of the CFL's best defensive minds, Jones has won four Grey Cups over his 18 years in the league as a head coach, coordinator, and executive. The Tennessee native also earned Coach of the Year honors with the Roughriders in 2018 before also spending time as a defensive assistant with the NFL's Cleveland Browns.

Jones inherits an Elks squad that's coming off a disastrous 2021 campaign. Edmonton tied for the league's worst record at 3-11 and failed to win a home game for the first time in team history, leading to head coach Jamie Elizondo, general manager Brock Sunderland, and president and CEO Chris Presson's firings last month.

Hall of Fame coach Wally Buono assisted the Elks in their coach and GM search, according to TSN's Farhan Lalji.