Lions name veteran Jeff Reinebold as their special-teams co-ordinator

VANCOUVER — Jeff Reinebold is back for a third stint with the B.C. Lions.

The Lions hired Reinebold as their special-teams co-ordinator Tuesday. Reinebold spent the last five seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, serving as the club’s defensive co-ordinator last year before being fired following the club’s 0-6 start.

Reinebold also served as a Lions coach from 1991-93 and again in ’96.

“We’re very pleased that Jeff will be joining our staff for 2018,” Lions head coach Wally Buono said in a statement. “He is an outstanding coach who consistently fields exciting, disciplined and physical special teams units.

“He had a number of offers available to him, but his desire to come to the B.C. Lions I believe says a lot about the team and staff that Ed (GM Ed Hervey) and I are building for next season.”

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Reinebold, a 60-year-old native of South Bend, Ind., also has previous CFL coaching experience with the Las Vegas Posse (1994), Edmonton Eskimos (1995), Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1997-98) and Montreal Alouettes (2012). 

“After many years of battling against Wally on the field it will be great to go into battle together,” said Reinebold.

Reinebold has shown a commitment to his players off the field. When former Ticats defensive lineman John Chick was dealt to the Edmonton Eskimos in September, Reinebold stepped up and drove the Chick family’s belongings from Hamilton to Alberta so Chick’s wife, Catherine, could concentrate on getting herself and the couple’s eight children to their new home.

Reinebold’s cross-country trek spanned three Canadian provinces and the northern U.S.

“Getting fired, getting traded, getting released, it’s all part of the business and what we sign up for,” Reinebold said at the time. “But the people who don’t sign up for that are wives and kids.

“I went to help Catherine pack and she said she was going to drive with eight kids. John called me a day later and asked if I knew anyone who might be able to help because he didn’t want Catherine to drive. I couldn’t find anybody so I called John back and said I’d do it … if you’re in a position and have the ability to help then I think you have a responsibility to.”

Chick, the CFL’s top defensive player in 2009, was deeply appreciative of Reinebold’s actions.

“The one thing people preach is the brotherhood stepping up for your guys when (you) can and it was very cool to see the action behind the words,” Chick said. “When I reached out to Jeff, honest to God, I figured he’d know somebody who could be in a place to help.

“I tried talking him out of it but he was set on doing it. Many people stepped up over the last two weeks but it was definitely a blessing Jeff was able to do that, not enough can be said about it.”

The Canadian Press