Kristian Matte knew exactly what he was getting into when he swapped his helmet for a headset. The former Alouettes guard, who spent 13 seasons in Montreal, is now the running backs coach for the B.C. Lions — and he’s all in, despite the long hours and new challenges.
As a player, Matte enforced the CFL’s strict daily 4.5-hour limit on team activities. But now, as a coach, he arrives at the Lions’ Surrey facility by 6 a.m. and often works 12- to 17-hour days. Yet the 39-year-old St-Hubert native loves every minute of it.
“Honestly, you just go in and do it,” Matte said in a phone interview this week. “Parts of it are tedious and harder, but you find a way. Time goes by. You have to enjoy the process.”
This week is especially meaningful for Matte: the Lions face the Alouettes on Saturday night at Montreal’s Molson Stadium, a game with extra significance as B.C. (1-3) looks to end a three-game losing streak. It’s also Matte’s first chance to see his wife Melissa and children Zackary and Ellison since training camp began in May. Though they FaceTime daily, he admits the separation has been the hardest part of his new role.
“Although I’ve been in this business a long time, this is my first time away from home,” he said. “But to get anchored into this world, learn, grow, and dive in wouldn’t have been possible without my wife’s support. I admire her strength.”
After winning the Grey Cup in 2023, Matte’s final playing season in 2024 was cut short by injuries, appearing in just six games. While he kept his retirement plans quiet, he knew it was time. Rather than taking a year off, he jumped straight into coaching when B.C. hired him in February.
“That kind of was my year off because I had old injuries resurface,” he explained. “In this business, you need to anchor yourself quickly. If you step away, it can be harder to return. I wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity.”
Despite coaching a position he never played, Matte feels at home. He knows the close relationship between offensive linemen and running backs and credits veteran Lions coaches, including offensive line coach Paul Charbonneau, for helping him adjust. The Lions’ tailback James Butler is currently the CFL’s second-leading rusher, a bright spot amid the team’s early struggles.
Saturday’s game may be a homecoming for Matte, but he’s approaching it strictly as business. Postgame will bring time for reunions with former teammates and coaches.
“This is something I know I was made for,” Matte said of coaching. “You can’t have regrets in life. You have to embrace the moment and enjoy it — because you never know when you’ll be somewhere else.”
Tearful Goodbye, Fearless New Start: Kristian Matte’s CFL Coaching Story
