The Canadian Football League has lost a coaching legend with Wednesday’s passing of Don Matthews. The 77 year old from Amesbury, Massachusetts died in Beaverton, Oregon according to the Toronto Argonauts.
The CFL released a statement, describing Matthews as a leader of some of the league’s greatest players and teams, and a mentor to many current coaches. “Upon hearing of the passing of Don Matthews, the Canadian Football League family is both deeply saddened by this loss and grateful for his many contributions to our league. The Don, as he was known, was one of a kind. He was a charismatic star that loved to spar with the media at the same time he commanded the spotlight.”
“The Don” broke into the CFL as an assistant with the Edmonton Eskimos in 1977 and served as a defensive coordinator on five consecutive Grey Cup Champions from 1978-82. The following season he was hired as the Head Coach of the BC Lions, embarking on a 22 year career with Baltimore, Saskatchewan, Edmonton, Toronto, and Montreal that would see him win five more titles to go along with 231 regular season victories and nine Grey Cup appearances. Matthews, a five time winner of the CFL Coach of the Year award, was inducted into the Canadian Football League Hall of Fame in 2011.