According to cfl.ca, the Ottawa Redblacks have named Shawn Burke of Guelph, Ontario as their new general manager. Burke takes over from Marcel Desjardins of Burlington, Ontario, who was released of his duties on October 25.
Burke was most recently the senior director of player personnel and co-manager of football operations of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He had been in that role since January 3, 2019. Over the last two seasons, Burke helped the Tiger-Cats reach two Grey Cups, but lose on both occasions to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. In 2019 in Calgary, Hamilton lost 33-12, and then in 2021 in Hamilton, the Tiger-Cats lost 33-25 in overtime.
Prior to holding that role in Hamilton, Burke has been the Tiger-Cats assistant general manager, director of football operations, director of football administration, and director of community relations and communications. He had been with the Tiger-Cats since 2007.
In addition to having a football background, Burke has a hockey background too. In 2005, he was the co-ordinator of youth and minor hockey development for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
This past season, the Redblacks struggled mightily on the field, as they only won three of 14 games. Their 224 points scored were the least in the CFL, and their 384 points against was the most in the CFL.
It will now be interesting to see if Burke keeps Paul LaPolice as their head coach. LaPolice spent one year in Ottawa, and has a poor regular season record of 19 wins and 39 losses, after three other seasons coaching the Blue Bombers from 2010 to 2012.
