Tiger-Cats' hire of ex-Baylor coach Art Briles gets slammed on Twitter
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats hired former Baylor coach Art Briles as an assistant coach on Monday, and were immediately hit with a storm of backlash on social media.
Briles was dismissed by the university in May 2016 in the wake of the sexual assault scandal that engulfed the football program under his watch. Many of the damning details from the investigation would keep Briles from employment in the football world, but the CFL club decided to look past the off-the-field issues and hire the 61-year-old.
The move was met with near universal disgust on Twitter.
Absolutely.
— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) August 28, 2017
Randy Ambrosie must step in and block this hire. This is the commissioner's biggest test yet. https://t.co/sa5DngEsEh
Art Briles? Do the Hamilton Tiger-Cats not think that news crosses the Canadian border?
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) August 28, 2017
I'm really hoping you guys let the women attending this clinic question Coach Briles about his history at Baylor. Not sure if y'all did. https://t.co/afIR4mDDb1
— Chantel Jennings (@ChantelJennings) August 28, 2017
This is the single most vile, terrible thing a CFL team has ever done. By a mile.https://t.co/Ank1iaF4on https://t.co/PlX83MQ3ki
— Doug Smith: Raptors (@SmithRaps) August 28, 2017
.@CoachJuneJones is bringing the ugly "win at all costs" style of American Football to Canada. My apologies Canada - you don't deserve that
— Brenda Tracy (@brendatracy24) August 28, 2017
The Tiger-Cats ranks last in almost every offensive category in the CFL, leading Sportsnet's Donnovan Bennett to think the move is related to a possible Robert Griffin III signing. The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner played under Briles at Baylor and is on Hamilton's negotiation list.
#Ticats will take PR hit hiring #ArtBriles given #Baylor scandal. Have to think move related to recruiting @RGIII who is on their neg list.
— Donnovan Bennett (@donnovanbennett) August 28, 2017