Former Saskatchewan Roughriders DL coach Phillip Daniels joins Ottawa Redblacks in same role

The Ottawa Redblacks have hired Phillip Daniels as the team’s defensive line coach, per sources.

The 52-year-old Daniels spent the last two CFL seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the same role, helping the Green and White win the 112th Grey Cup in November.

The Donalsonville, Georgia native started his coaching career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016 as assistant defensive line coach through the 2018 season as the team won Super Bowl LII 41-33. He was elevated to defensive line coach in 2019 but the Eagles did not retain him after that year.

Daniels was the Houston Gamblers defensive line coach for the 2023 United States Football League season. He spent 2012 as the Washington Football Team’s player development director in 2012.

The University of Georgia product was selected in the fourth round, 99th overall during the 1996 NFL Draft. He played for the Seattle Seahawks from 1996 through 1999, Chicago Bears 2000 to 2003 and Washington Football Team 2004 until his NFL career ended follwing the 2010 season.

The six-foot-five, 302-pound defensive lineman dressed for 201 NFL games, started 167, recorded 516 total tackles, 393 solo, 72 tackles for loss, 62 sacks, 47 knockdowns, 15 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries and one interception. He earned almost $10 million USD during his six seasons with Washington.

Ottawa general manager and head coach Ryan Dinwiddie adds Daniels to his defensive coaching staff which will be led by coordinator William Fields.

The Redblacks finished fourth in the East Division standings in 2025 with a 4-14 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Ottawa ranked sixth in net offence, fifth in net defence, and ninth with a minus-16 turnover differential.