 Dickenson with theCalgary Stampeders in 2025 | |
| Calgary Stampeders | |
|---|---|
| Title | Special teams coordinator |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1971-09-04)September 4, 1971 (age 54) Great Falls, Montana, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| College | Montana |
| Career history | |
Coaching | |
| 1995–1998 | Montana (STC) |
| 1999 | Utah State (RBC) |
| 2000–2001 | San Diego Chargers (Ass. STC) |
| 2002 | Calgary Stampeders (RC) |
| 2003 | Montreal Alouettes (RBC) |
| 2004 | Calgary Stampeders (RBC) |
| 2005–2009 | Calgary Stampeders (STC) |
| 2010 | Oakland Raiders (Ass. STC) |
| 2011–2012 | Saskatchewan Roughriders (STC) |
| 2013 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers (STC) |
| 2014–2015 | Edmonton Eskimos (STC) |
| 2016–2018 | Saskatchewan Roughriders (STC) |
| 2019–2023 | Saskatchewan Roughriders (HC/STC) |
| 2025–present | Calgary Stampeders (STC) |
Operations | |
| 2024 | Calgary Stampeders (Senior consultant) |
| Awards and highlights | |
Craig Dickenson (born September 4, 1971[1]) is a professional football coach who is thespecial teams coordinator for theCalgary Stampeders of theCanadian Football League (CFL). He has also served as thehead coach for theSaskatchewan Roughriders for four seasons. He has coached professional football since 2000 and won aGrey Cup championship with the CFL'sCalgary Stampeders in2008 and with theEdmonton Eskimos in2015.[2]
Dickenson playedcollege football as akicker for theMontana Grizzlies.[3]
Dickenson was a Special Teams Assistant for theNFL'sSan Diego Chargers in2000 and2001.[4]
Dickenson first coached in the Canadian Football League when he was hired byWally Buono to be thereceivers coach and offensive assistant for the CFL'sCalgary Stampeders on March 25, 2002.[1] In2003, he moved to the CFL'sMontreal Alouettes to be their Running Back Coach.[5]
In2004, Dickenson returned to Calgary to handle the receivers and running backs on the team's coaching staff.[6] He was Calgary's Special Teams Coordinator for the2005 and2006 seasons.[5] Prior to the2007 season, the Stampeders announced that Dickenson had agreed to a contract extension to continue as the team's Special Teams Coordinator.[7]
Calgary's new Head Coach,John Hufnagel, kept Dickenson as the team's Special Team's Coordinator for the2008 season.[8] Calgary won theGrey Cup that year, making Dickenson a Grey Cup champion for the first time. Dickenson remained as Calgary's Special Teams Coordinator for the2009 season.[9] He departed the team on December 8, 2009, having spent seven years with Calgary, the final five being in charge of Special Teams.[6]
Dickenson was the Assistant Special Teams Coordinator with the NFL'sOakland Raiders for the2010 season.[4]
Dickenson was the Special Teams Coordinator of the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders for the2011 season,[4] and retained this position for the2012 season.[10] On January 3, 2013, Dickenson resigned as Special Teams Coordinator of the Saskatchewan Roughriders.[11] The following day, he joined the CFL'sWinnipeg Blue Bombers to be their Special Teams Coordinator for the2013 season.[12]
On January 28, 2014, newEdmonton Eskimos Head Coach,Chris Jones, announced that Dickenson was going to be the team's Special Teams Coordinator for the2014 season.[13] Dickenson retained this position on Jones' staff for the2015 season,[14] and Edmonton won theGrey Cup. This was the second time Dickenson was a Grey Cup champion.
Shortly after winning the Grey Cup, Chris Jones became the General Manager and Head Coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders for the2016 season. He brought most of his coaching staff from Edmonton to Saskatchewan, including Dickenson as Special Teams Coordinator.[15] This marked Dickenson's second stint as Saskatchewan's Special Teams Coordinator. Dickenson remained in this position for the2017[16] and2018[17] seasons.
In January 2019, Jones resigned as Saskatchewan's General Manager and Head Coach to join the NFL'sCleveland Browns.[18]Jeremy O'Day was named Saskatchewan's General Manager.[19] Dickenson was one of the candidates O'Day interviewed for the Head Coach position, and Dickenson was subsequently promoted on January 25, 2019.[20] The Riders finished2019 with an improved record of 13–5, winning the West Division for the first time in a decade.[21] Saskatchewan ultimately lost at home in the Western Final to the eventualGrey Cup champions, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Dickenson was nominated that year as the CFL West Division'sCoach of the Year, finishing as runner-up toHamilton'sOrlondo Steinauer for the overall league award.[22]
Dickenson signed a contract extension in December 2020, keeping him as Saskatchewan's Head Coach through the 2023 season.[23] With Dickenson as Saskatchewan's Head Coach in2021, the Riders finished second in the West Division, won their first home playoff game at newMosaic Stadium, but once again lost to the eventualGrey Cup champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Western Final. Saskatchewan started the2022 season under Dickenson 4-1, but ultimately finished with a disappointing 6-12 record and failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
After the season, there was much speculation about the future of the Riders' coaching staff. However, on November 1, 2022, it was announced that Dickenson would return as head coach,[24] while Offensive coordinatorJason Maas and two other offensive coaches were not retained by the team.[25]
In2023, after the Riders again posted a 6-12 record and missed the playoffs for a second straight season. The team announced they had opted not to renew Dickenson's contract on October 23, 2023.[26]
On March 12, 2024, it was announced that Dickenson had joined theCalgary Stampeders as a senior consultant.[27] After a year as a consultant, he returned to a coaching position when he was named the team's special teams coordinator on December 16, 2024.[28]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Result | |||
| SSK | 2019 | 13 | 5 | 0 | .722 | 1st in West Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in West Final | |
| SSK | 2020 | Season Cancelled | ||||||||
| SSK | 2021 | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | 2nd in West Division | 1 | 1 | Lost in West Final | |
| SSK | 2022 | 6 | 12 | 0 | .333 | 4th in West Division | - | - | Missed Playoffs | |
| SSK | 2023 | 6 | 12 | 0 | .333 | 4th in West Division | - | - | Missed Playoffs | |
| Total | 34 | 34 | 0 | .500 | 1 Division Championship | 1 | 2 | |||
Dickenson is the older brother ofDave Dickenson, the General Manager and Head Coach for theCalgary Stampeders as of December 12, 2022.[29] His mother,Sue Dickenson, is a former legislator in Montana.[30]