GEORGE CORTEZ  Head Coach and Director of Football Operations

George Cortez was named the Tiger-Cats head coach and director of football operations on January 7, 2012.  Cortez is the 21st head coach in Tiger-Cats history.

A veteran coach with over three decades of coaching experience under his belt, Cortez has a rich Canadian Football League pedigree and has been a part of four Grey Cup championship teams. 

Cortez joins the Ticats after two seasons in the NFL as the Buffalo Bills quarterbacks coach.  Prior to his tenure with the Bills, Cortez spent 18 seasons with four teams in the Canadian Football League and four years in the NCAA as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of California.

At Cal, Cortez aided in the development of Super Bowl XLV MVP Aaron Rodgers and Kyle Boller – both first round NFL draft picks.  During his four seasons (2002-05) at Cal, the Bears offence registered three of their four highest scoring seasons in school history and claimed the Pac-10 rushing title in 2003 and 2004.  In 2004, Cal’s offence finished with the fifth-most offensive yards per game (492.4) in the nation while ranking seventh in points scored (36.8). 

Cortez’s most recent CFL stint came was 2007-2009 when he served as offensive coordinator and associate head coach of the Calgary Stampeders.  During his three seasons at the helm of Calgary’s offence, the Stamps finished near the top in virtually every offensive category.   

The Stampeders offence had a banner year under Cortez in 2008, as Henry Burris would earn the West Division Most Outstanding Player award after throwing for 5,094 yards and 39 touchdowns while Joffrey Reynolds won the league rushing title with 1,310 yards.  Burris would also be named the Grey Cup MVP after totaling 443 yards of offence in Calgary's championship win over the Montreal Alouettes. 

During his first tenure (1998-2001) as the Stampeders offensive coordinator, Cortez’s offences in Calgary led the CFL in seven or more offensive categories for four straight seasons.

All together, Cortez has spent 11 seasons over three stints with the Stampeders as well as two years with the Ottawa Rough Riders, four years with the Montreal Alouettes and one with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, earning four Grey Cup rings along the way.  Over the course of his 18 seasons in the CFL, Cortez has served as associate head coach, offensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, quarterbacks coach, offensive line coach, running backs coach, defensive line coach, and defensive backs coach.

Cortez is credited with orchestrating some of the CFL’s most prolific offences and playing an integral role in the development of celebrated CFL quarterbacks Jeff Garcia, Dave Dickenson and Henry Burris.  All three pivots would go on to play in the NFL, with Garcia earning a spot in the Pro Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers. 

Cortez has also made coaching stops at Southern Methodist University, Lamar University and Rice University in various offensive roles. 

The native of Port Arthur, Texas, began his coaching career at Houston’s C.E. King High School in 1973 after graduating from Texas A&M with a B.S. in physical education. 

CORTEZ COACHING HISTORY