The B.C. Lions finalized their 2026 coaching staff with the addition of new linebackers coach Mark Washington. The Lions retained eight assistants from last season.
“We’re very excited to have continuity on our staff, which will be greatly beneficial in the pursuit of our end goal in 2026,” said head coach Buck Pierce. “Coach Washington also brings another experienced football mind and has familiarity with how we want to build our defense. He will fit in perfectly with the linebackers on our roster.”
Mark Washington is 52 years old from Washington, D.C. He was most recently the defensive coordinator for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 2019 to 2024. He helped them appear in back-to-back Grey Cup championship games in 2019 and 2021. Washington also held the same position with the B.C. Lions from 2014-18.
Before taking the defensive coordinator job, Washington was the defensive backs coach for the B.C. Lions from 2008-13. As a player, Washington played for the New York CityHawks (AFL) and Barcelona Dragons (NFLE) in 1997.
He helped the Dragons win World Bowl V over the Rhein Fire. In the same year, he played for the Montreal Alouettes from 1997-02 and the B.C. Lions from 2003-07. He won the Tom Pate Memorial Award in 2006. He played college football at Rutgers University.
2026 B.C. Lions Coaching Staff
| Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator | Buck Pierce |
| Defensive Coordinator | Mike Benevides |
| Special Teams Coordinator | Cory McDiarmid |
| Receivers Coach/Passing Game Coordinator | Kevin Bourgoin |
| Offensive Line Coach | Paul Charbonneau |
| Running Backs Coach | Kristian Matte |
| Secondary Coach/Passing Game Coordinator | Ryan Phillips |
| Defensive Line Coach | Randy Melvin |
| Linebackers Coach | Mark Washington |
| Assistant Coach | Derek Oswalt |
