Head Coach Tim Burke is pleased to welcome back Casey Creehan as the team’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Creehan previously coached the linebackers and defensive line in Winnipeg from 2010-2011. He spent last season as the defensive coordinator of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Creehan’s return to Winnipeg reunites him with Coach Burke with whom he has coached in numerous CFL cities and together have come up with some of the league’s stingiest defences.
Beginning his tenure in Winnipeg as linebackers coach in 2010, Creehan helped oversee a unit that finished second in fewest yards net offence and allowed the fewest yards net passing while registering the most quarterback sacks. Taking over as defensive line coach midway through the 2011 season, Creehan and Burke teamed up to form the league’s best defence, finishing first in 12 defensive categories including fewest first downs allowed, fewest yards net offence, most interceptions and most quarterback sacks for the second year in a row.
Prior to his stint in Winnipeg, Creehan was once again apart of Coach Burke’s defensive staff in 2008 as the linebackers coach of the Montreal Alouettes, who finished second in the league in rush defence, sacks and scoring defence as they captured the East Division Championship that season, before coaching the defensive line at Eastern Michigan University in 2009.
Creehan’s first foray into the CFL came in 2004 when he joined the Calgary Stampeders as their defensive line coach where he would remain for four seasons, participating in three playoff appearances. Calgary would also mark the first time Creehan and Burke would work together, the latter joining the team as defensive backs coach in 2005 before becoming interim defensive coordinator in 2007.
Creehan has also held coaching positions at James Madison University, Clarion University, Southern Illinois University and Lehigh University.
