Veteran CFL executive Popp joins winless Redblacks as advisor
The Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group announced on Monday that longtime CFL executive Jim Popp has joined the Ottawa Redblacks as a Senior Football Advisor.The team says Popp will advise OSEG CEO Mark Goudie as the organization determines the permanent leadership structure for football operations and he will also work alongside general manager and head coach Ryan Dinwiddie.“We need to get better and there is no reason to wait until the offseason to start doing that,” said Goudie in a statement. “Jim has spent 28 years in this league and has been a part of building championship teams throughout his career.“He brings a proven ability identify players who can succeed in the CFL, and he gives me an experienced and independent football perspective as we determine the right long-term structure for this organization.”“I have known Jim for a long time, and I have a lot of respect for what he has accomplished in the CFL. He brought me to Canada as a player and gave me my start in coaching,” said Dinwiddie in a statement.“He has a tremendous network and a proven ability to identify football talent. I’m looking forward to working with him as we continue to build this team.”A North Carolina native, Popp’s teams appeared in 11 Grey Cups and won five championships, the most Grey Cup appearances by a general manager in league history. He also ranks second all-time among CFL general managers in regular-season victories.Popp spent 21 seasons as general manager of the Montreal Alouettes, leading the club to eight Grey Cup appearances, three championships and 19 playoff appearances.He previously built the Baltimore Stallions team that won the 1995 Grey Cup and later joined the Toronto Argonauts, winning another championship in his first season as GM in 2017.
