| Tom Higgins | |
| Birth Date: | July 13, 1954 |
| Birth Place: | Woodbridge, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Team: | Calgary Colts |
| Import: | yes |
| Position1: | Defensive coordinator |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 2 |
| Weight Lb: | 235 |
| College: | North Carolina State |
| High School: | Colonia |
| Administrating Years1: | – |
| Administrating Team1: | Edmonton Eskimos (Asst. GM) |
| Administrating Years2: | – |
| Administrating Team2: | Edmonton Eskimos (GM/COO) |
| Administrating Years3: | – |
| Administrating Team3: | Edmonton Eskimos (GM) |
| Administrating Years4: | – |
| Administrating Team4: | CFL Director of Officiating |
| Coaching Years1: | 1982–1984 |
| Coaching Team1: | Calgary Dinos (DC) |
| Coaching Years2: | – |
| Coaching Team2: | Calgary Stampeders (DL coach) |
| Coaching Team3: | Calgary Stampeders (OL coach) |
| Coaching Years4: | – |
| Coaching Team4: | Calgary Stampeders (OC) |
| Coaching Years5: | – |
| Coaching Team5: | Calgary Stampeders (DL coach) |
| Coaching Team6: | Calgary Stampeders (Asst. HC) |
| Coaching Years7: | – |
| Coaching Team7: | Edmonton Eskimos (HC) |
| Coaching Years8: | – |
| Coaching Team8: | Calgary Stampeders (HC) |
| Coaching Years9: | – |
| Coaching Team9: | Montreal Alouettes (HC) |
| Coaching Years10: | 2016 |
| Coaching Team10: | Calgary Dinos (DC) |
| Coaching Years11: | 2020–2022 |
| Coaching Team11: | Alberta Golden Bears (DC) |
| Coaching Years12: | 2023–present |
| Coaching Team12: | Calgary Colts (DC) |
| Playing Years1: | – |
| Playing Team1: | Calgary Stampeders |
| Playing Years2: | 1979 |
| Playing Team2: | Buffalo Bills |
| Playing Team3: | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| Career Highlights: | |
| Awards: | Annis Stukus Trophy Annis Stukus Trophy |
| Nfl: | HIG443351 |
| Databasefootball-Archive: | https://web.archive.org/web/20160112175825/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HIGGITOM02 |
Thomas Joseph John Higgins Jr. (born July 13, 1954) is the defensive coordinator for the Calgary Colts of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL). He has previously served as the Director of Officiating for the Canadian Football League (CFL) and is a former Canadian and American football player, head coach, and general manager.
Higgins, the son of a former Philadelphia Eagles tackle, Tom Higgins Sr., was a high school football standout at Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey.[1] He played nose guard at North Carolina State University. He was an All-American and was a starter in four consecutive bowl games. He was also an All-American wrestler at NC State.
After graduating from college in 1976, Higgins attempted to enter the National Football League, but was not selected in the 1976 NFL draft. He instead played in the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders for three years. In 1979, Higgins was signed by the Buffalo Bills and played one year in the United States, before returning to Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL.
After retiring as a player, Higgins began coaching at the University of Calgary, winning the 1983 CIS title in the second of his three years as an assistant coach under Canadian Football Hall of Fame coach Peter Connellan.[2] In 1985, Higgins joined the Stampeders coaching staff, serving in many different capacities until becoming a head coach in 2001.
Higgins became head coach of the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos later that year, leading the team to the playoffs in each of his four seasons. In 2002 and 2003, he won division titles, and he won a single Grey Cup as a head coach, with the Eskimos in 2003.
In 2005, he returned to the Calgary Stampeders as head coach. He held this position for three years, making the playoffs in each. He was fired after a first round loss during the 2007 playoffs.
Higgins served as the Director of Officiating from April 2008 to December 2013.[3]
Higgins was hired as the new head coach of the Montreal Alouettes on February 24, 2014. He coached a historic 2014 football season starting 1–7, turning the team around to a 9-9 second-place finish, hosting a play off game and defeating the BC Lions.[4] On August 21, 2015, Alouettes ownership relieved Higgins of his coaching duties.[5]
Higgins was hired in early 2020 as the defensive coordinator of the University of Alberta Golden Bears.[6] After the 2020 season was cancelled, he coached for two seasons with the Golden Bears.
On April 1, 2023, it was announced that Higgins had been hired as the defensive coordinator for the Calgary Colts.[7]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Result | |||
| EDM | 2001 | 9 | 9 | 0 | .500 | 1st in West Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in Division Finals | |
| EDM | 2002 | 13 | 5 | 0 | .722 | 1st in West Division | 1 | 1 | Lost 90th Grey Cup | |
| EDM | 2003 | 13 | 5 | 0 | .722 | 1st in West Division | 2 | 0 | Won 91st Grey Cup | |
| EDM | 2004 | 9 | 9 | 0 | .500 | 2nd in West Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in Division Semi-Finals | |
| CGY | 2005 | 11 | 7 | 0 | .611 | 2nd in West Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in Division Semi-Finals | |
| CGY | 2006 | 10 | 8 | 0 | .556 | 2nd in West Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in Division Semi-Finals | |
| CGY | 2007 | 7 | 10 | 1 | .417 | 3rd in West Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in Division Semi-Finals | |
| MTL | 2014 | 9 | 9 | 0 | .500 | 2nd in East Division | 1 | 1 | Lost in Division Finals | |
| MTL | 2015 | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | 4th in East Division | 0 | 0 | Relieved of duties | |
| Total | 84 | 67 | 1 | .556 | 3 Division Championships | 4 | 7 | 1 Grey Cup | ||
Tom and his wife Sharon have three grown children, Holly, Hillary and Thomas.