Eskimos won’t have to compensate Ottawa for hiring Jason Maas as head coach

EDMONTON – The Edmonton Eskimos won’t have to give up any form of compensation to the Ottawa Redblacks for hiring Jason Maas as their head coach.

In a statement released by the Eskimos on Friday, the team says that they were informed of CFL commissioner Jeffrey Orridge’s decision that Ottawa would not be compensated for losing Maas to the Eskimos.

Maas was announced in December as Edmonton’s new head coach after spending the 2015 season as Ottawa’s offensive co-ordinator and quarterbacks coach, which led to the Redblacks requesting compensation for Maas leaving.

“The Edmonton Eskimos consider this matter resolved and will not comment further at this time,” the team said.

Maas spent nine years as a quarterback with the Eskimos, 2000-05 and 2008-2010, helping them to Grey Cup wins in 2002 and 2005, and was Edmonton’s outstanding player in 2001 and 2004. He retired in 2011 and served as quarterbacks and receivers coach for the Toronto Argonauts from 2012 to ’14 before joining Ottawa.

He was hired by Edmonton to replace Chris Jones, who left to become vice-president of football operations, general manager and head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The Eskimos beat the Redblacks 26-20 in November for the 2015 Grey Cup.