Montreal general manager Kavis Reed is denying a report that he spoke to Calgary Stampeder’s defensive coordinator DeVone Claybrooks about the Alouettes’ vacant head coaching job.
3DownNation’s Justin Dunk reported earlier Tuesday that Reed had spoken to Claybrooks.
“I did not speak to DeVone Claybrooks,” Reed said. “I have not spoken to the Calgary Stampeders for permission to speak with him.”
Reed was in Calgary, however. He says he was in Edmonton with his family – Reed is a former head coach with the Eskimos – and took the red-eye to Toronto via a connection in Calgary.
“I was in Edmonton and I flew through Calgary to take the red eye to Toronto,” Reed said. “That’s the extent of me going to Calgary.”
Records show there were three early morning flights from Calgary to Toronto and three from Edmonton.
Reed acknowledged that if he had spoken to Claybrooks without permission from both the team and league, it would constitute tampering.
“We have asked every team that we needed to ask for permission and they’ve granted it and the league has been copied on that. This is in complete violation of the league tampering policy that we all clearly understand and I would never do that,” Reed said. “I’m upset because the Calgary Stampeders are about to play in the league’s final game the Grey Cup and they don’t need this distraction. It is hurting the credibility of people trying to do things the right way.”
Reed would not confirm that he plans to pursue Claybrooks.
“I will not even speak on that. Those teams are in the Grey Cup, they need to focus on the Grey Cup,” Reed said. “We are not going to ask until the season is done for all teams. When their seasons are done, we ask their permission. That’s respect and courtesy.”
