Dave Ritchie, who was the head coach of the B.C. Lions for their iconic B次元官网网址�94 Grey Cup victory over the Baltimore Stallions, died Saturday. He was 85.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers, another CFL team Ritchie coached, confirmed the death. The cause was not immediately divulged.

Ritchie amassed a 52-41-1 regular-season record as a head coach with Winnipeg (1999-2004). That left him fourth overall in club history behind Bud Grant (102), current head coach Mike OB次元官网网址橲hea (96) and Cal Murphy (86).

But it was during RitchieB次元官网网址檚 tenure as B.C.B次元官网网址檚 head coach that his club united Canada. The Lions dispatched Baltimore 26-23 in the 82nd Grey Cup on Lui PassagliaB次元官网网址檚 game-ending 38-yard field goal at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, capping the first championship ever in pro football to feature a U.S.-Canada matchup.

B次元官网网址淛ust that alone, to me, makes our youngsters special,B次元官网网址� Ritchie said about the contest in 2022 upon being inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. B次元官网网址淔or one week, everybody on our ball club was a Canadian.B次元官网网址�

Neil McEvoy, the LionsB次元官网网址� co-general manager and director of football operations, said Ritchie will be missed by everyone across the CFL.

B次元官网网址淐oach Ritchie was a champion at heart who represented the B.C. Lions with the utmost class and professionalism. Anyone who had the good fortune to work with him was better for it,B次元官网网址� McEvoy said in a statement.

Ritchie, of New Bedford, Mass., spent 11 of his 22 CFL seasons as a head coach with B.C. (1993-95), Montreal (1997-98) and Winnipeg. He won 108-of-187 career regular-season games to stand seventh all-time.

He also claimed Grey Cup rings as an assistant with Winnipeg (1990) and B.C. (2006).

Ritchie first joined the Bombers in 1990 on head coach Mike RileyB次元官网网址檚 staff as a defensive line and special-teams coach. He left after the B次元官网网址�91 season, then returned in 1999 after being named head coach and taking over a Winnipeg squad that was 3-15 in 1998.

Winnipeg improved to 6-12 in its first season under Ritchie, then 7-10-1 in 2000. But in 2001, Winnipeg posted a 14-4 regular-season record and advanced to the Grey Cup before dropping a 27-19 decision to the Calgary Stampeders.

Still, Ritchie was named the CFLB次元官网网址檚 coach of the year that season.

B次元官网网址淒ave Ritchie was a respected leader during his days as Blue Bombers head coach and in his other coaching positions across the Canadian Football League, in the NCAA and in Europe,B次元官网网址� Winnipeg president/CEO Wade Miller said in a statement. B次元官网网址淗e had a passion for his players and his teams and led both to great success.

B次元官网网址淭he Winnipeg Football Club offers our deepest sympathies to his wife Sharon, DaveB次元官网网址檚 family, and his many friends.B次元官网网址�

Sometimes gruff and to the point, Ritchie also had a soft side, especially with his players. And away from the field, Ritchie, his Massachusetts accent very evident, had a very dry but infectious sense of humour.

B次元官网网址淒ave Ritchie was the blueprint of what a head coach should be,B次元官网网址� former Bombers defensive lineman Doug Brown tweeted. B次元官网网址淎uthentic, charismatic & compassionate, paired with a fiery & competitive thunder that was unrivalled.

B次元官网网址淢ay he rest in peace.B次元官网网址�

In relaxed settings with reporters, Ritchie would share entertaining and often funny stories from his long football career.

B次元官网网址淒ave was an incredible leader of men, a brilliant football mind and a truly inspiring human being,B次元官网网址� CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie tweeted. B次元官网网址淲e are all fortunate to have met him and to have learned from him.

B次元官网网址淥ur thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and everyone who knew him.B次元官网网址�

Ritchie was inducted into the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame in 2014 but the pinnacle of his coaching career in Canada came with his induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

B次元官网网址淚t means a great deal because I believe the CFL is the top league in the world,B次元官网网址� Ritchie said at the time. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 get into a big-time argument but the athletes I had in the secondary and linebacker position, almost every one of them is in a Hall of Fame somewhere, whether itB次元官网网址檚 British Columbia, Winnipeg or the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

B次元官网网址淗ow can you lose when you have great youngsters around you? I mightB次元官网网址檝e been a little off the wall sometimes but I did have some great players, I also had many great coaches.B次元官网网址�

The Canadian Press