The Ottawa Redblacks fired defensive coordinator Will Fields on Saturday, one day after a 34-13 home loss to the Montreal Alouettes dropped the team to 0-7.
The team confirmed the move in a release.
"The Ottawa REDBLACKS announced today that defensive coordinator Will Fields has been relieved of his coaching duties. Jeff Reinebold will take over as defensive coordinator and Nate Taylor will take over as special teams coordinator."
Reinebold had served as Ottawa's special teams coordinator since January. Taylor had served as assistant special teams coordinator.
What Ryan Dinwiddie Said
Head coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie addressed the decision in a statement.
"Today we relieved Will Fields of his coaching duties. These decisions are always difficult. Will is a quality coach and an even better person and we want to thank him for his contributions to the Redblacks organization over the past two seasons. We wish him all the best."
The Numbers Behind the Move
Ottawa has allowed 247 points through seven games. That is the highest total in the CFL and works out to 35.3 points per game.
The Redblacks rank last in the league in four defensive categories:
Points allowed per game
Rush yards allowed per game (123.2)
Sacks (8)
Forced fumbles (0)
Ottawa has lost all seven games. Five came at TD Place.
The Montreal Game
Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander went 22-of-30 for 420 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions on Friday night at TD Place. He threw for 287 yards and two scores in the first half on 15-of-20 passing. Montreal scored touchdowns on its first three drives.
Ottawa turned its scoring chances into one touchdown and two field goals. The offence was stopped twice on third down.
Full box score and scoring summary: Alouettes 34, Redblacks 13.
Who Is Will Fields
Fields, 48, is from McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Ottawa hired him ahead of the 2025 season, so he spent two years with the club.
He started coaching at Simon Fraser University in 2014 and entered the CFL in 2015. He held assistant jobs with the B.C. Lions, Montreal Alouettes, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Edmonton Elks and Toronto Argonauts, where he worked as secondary coach and co-defensive coordinator.
Fields played six CFL seasons as a defensive back with the Calgary Stampeders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He stood 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds. Over 87 games he recorded 223 tackles, 38 knockdowns, 13 interceptions, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one sack. He won a Grey Cup with Calgary in 2001.
Who Is Jeff Reinebold
Reinebold, 68, is from South Bend, Indiana. Ottawa hired him as special teams coordinator on January 8, 2026, after two seasons at the University of Hawaii. TSN covered the hire in January.
He has close to 20 years in the CFL with the B.C. Lions, Las Vegas Posse, Edmonton Elks, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. His last CFL job before Ottawa was special teams coordinator and assistant defensive backs coach in Hamilton in 2023. He was head coach and general manager in Winnipeg in 1997 and 1998 and went 7-29.
Nate Taylor Moves Up
Taylor coached running backs in Ottawa in 2025. Dinwiddie moved him to assistant special teams coordinator and quality control coach in January. He now takes the special teams coordinator title.
What Comes Next
This is the first coordinator change of the 2026 CFL season.
Dinwiddie is in his first year in Ottawa. The team's January staff announcement lists him as head coach and offensive coordinator. He also holds the general manager title. Ottawa did not hire a coach from outside the building to replace Fields and did not add a coach to the staff.
Dinwiddie has pointed to self-inflicted errors during the losing streak, telling reporters after an earlier loss that the team had "too many wounds to overcome."
The Redblacks play at the Saskatchewan Roughriders on August 7. That will be Reinebold's first game calling the defence.