Blue Bombers name Kelly head coach

Dec 2, 2008 - 6:26 PM WINNIPEG, Alberta (Ticker) -- Mike Kelly was introduced as the new head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Tuesday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but several media outlets are reporting that Kelly has inked a three-year contract with the team.

Winnipeg's offensive coordinator from 1992-96, Kelly replaces Doug Berry, who was fired last month after three seasons.

"Some people want to be a head coach, I've always wanted to be the head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers," Kelly said. "When I told my two daughters that I was becoming head coach in Winnipeg, they both said, 'Dad, this is your dream job.' It really is."

Kelly spent the 2008 season as the Edmonton Eskimos' receivers coach. Prior to that, he was working as a sports management professor at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

A native of Waterbury, Connecticut, Kelly's only head coaching experience prior to this came at Valdosta State University from 1997-99.

The Blue Bombers' offense thrived under Kelly in the 1990s, as the team's 651 points during the 1995 season was the second-highest Canadian Football League total in the last 17 seasons.

Winnipeg set 29 franchise records during Kelly's tenure, including Matt Dunigan's league record 713-yard passing performance in 1994.

During Kelly's five seasons with the Blue Bombers, the team was 54-36 and a two-time Grey Cup runner-up.