Former Ticats coach Jeff Reinebold joins B.C. Lions

Jeff Reinebold has joined the B.C. Lions as special teams coordinator after multiple CFL teams – including the Hamilton Tiger-Cats – inquired about his services.

Reinebold spent four seasons in the same role under former Ticats head coach Kent Austin but moved to defensive coordinator for the 2017 season. He was relieved of his duties with the team at 0-6 and the defence last in several statistical categories. Austin said he was offered another job with the club, he left the team for the remainder of the year.

But the 60-year-old Reinebold has a close relationship with current Hamilton head coach June Jones, who took over for Austin at the end of August and led the team to a 6-4 record before signing a three-year contract extension earlier this month. Reinebold was on staff with Jones at both SMU and Hawaii.

Multiple sources said the Ticats were interested in bringing Reinebold back.

Following his departure last summer, Reinebold raised the issue of “disloyalty” on his NFL-themed podcast for UK-based SkySports after being let go and also spent several days driving former Ticat John Chick’s belongings across the country after he was traded from Hamilton to Edmonton. He is currently working as an analyst for Sky during the NFL season, as he has done for the last several years.

Reinebold was largely successful as the special teams coordinator in Hamilton, cooking up an array of blocks, rules-oriented gadget plays and helping facilitate the success of return man Brandon Banks, who was twice named the East Division’s Most Outstanding Special Teams player.