Elks GM Hervey eyes repeat turnaround as Edmonton tops CFL West
The Edmonton Elks have climbed from six straight missed playoffs to first place in the CFL West under general manager Ed Hervey, who previously led the club to its last Grey Cup win in 2015.
Edmonton Elks general manager Ed Hervey is overseeing a second franchise turnaround, two seasons after returning to a team that had missed the playoffs for six consecutive years. The club now sits first in the CFL West Division and is set to host the 2026 division final.
In his first stint as GM, Hervey took over a 4-14 Eskimos team and built it into a 14-4 squad that won the 2015 Grey Cup, Edmonton's most recent championship. He was fired in spring 2017 amid what then-president Len Rhodes called "philosophical differences" before stints with the B.C. Lions and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Hervey returned to Edmonton in November 2024, citing trust in president Chris Morris and a shared commitment to putting the team ahead of individual goals.
Hervey credits the turnaround to broader organizational change, including the Thompson family's purchase of the team, Morris's hiring as president and Mark Kilam's hiring as head coach. He said he also overhauled player experience issues, from food quality to travel inconsistency, and rebuilt the roster so only 17 players remain from 2024.
Hervey said the current group holds itself to a higher standard, emphasizing punctuality, accountability and effort, as the organization works to restore Edmonton's reputation as a flagship CFL franchise.
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