College coaching Ritchie began his coaching career in 1962 as an assistant coach with
Greenbrier Military School. He became Greenbrier's head coach in 1966 and remained there until 1969, when he became linebackers coach at his alma mater, Cincinnati. He then joined the
Brown Bears as an assistant coach and head recruiter. Thereafter, Ritchie was the head coach for the
Fairmont State Fighting Falcons, from 1978 to 1982, where he compiled a 35–13–3 record.
Montreal Concordes, Alouettes Ritchie first entered the
Canadian Football League as the defensive backfield coach for the
Montreal Concordes in
1983, alongside
linebackers coach,
Wally Buono.
Interlude Ritchie re-joined the Cincinnati Bearcats as defensive coordinator in 1987. He then moved to Europe and was the defensive coordinator for the
Milano Seamen in the
Italian Football League in 1989 where the team finished with a 13–1 record before losing in the Italian championship game. He returned to the United States that spring as defensive coordinator at
Marshall.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers Ritchie returned to the CFL as the
defensive line coach and special teams assistant coach with the
Winnipeg Blue Bombers in
1990, a year in which the Blue Bombers won the
78th Grey Cup. He was an assistant coach in
1991, the same year when the Blue Bombers lost the East Final to the
Toronto Argonauts.
Ottawa Rough Riders Ritchie was hired by the
Ottawa Rough Riders to become the team's
defensive coordinator for the
1992 season. The Lions immediately improved and finished with a 10–8 record that year, losing the West Semi-Final to the
Calgary Stampeders. In the
1994 season, after beginning the year 8–1–1, the Lions finished in third place with an 11–6–1 record. and then the Calgary Stampeders in the playoffs to qualify for the
82nd Grey Cup against the
Baltimore Football Club. In the first ever
Grey Cup game to feature an
American team, Ritchie led his team to a 26–23 victory as the Lions won a Grey Cup in
Vancouver for the first time in club history and were also the first
West Division team to win the Grey Cup at home.
Montreal Alouettes (second stint) Ritchie joined the
Montreal Alouettes in
1996 after the Alouetts moved from Baltimore, and as he was also on the coaching staff in 1987 when the Alouettes were last in the league. He was promoted to head coach in
1997 and led the team to a 13–5 record, but lost the East Final to the defending
Grey Cup champion
Toronto Argonauts. In
1998, the Alouettes finished with a 12–5–1 record, but lost the East Final on a last second field goal to the
Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (second stint) Ritchie was hired away from the Alouettes in 1999 because of a more lucrative offer from the
Winnipeg Blue Bombers to become their head coach. The team had a 3–15 record the year before and Ritchie led the Blue Bombers to a 6–12 record in
1999. After an East Final appearance in
2000 with a 7–10–1 record, the Blue Bombers demonstrated dominance in
2001 with a 14–4 record, tied for the most wins in franchise history. Following the game, Ritchie was critical of
placekicker,
Troy Westwood, who missed three of four field goal attempts in the game. On August 8, 2004, with the Blue Bombers losing three in a row with a 2–5 record to begin
their season, Ritchie was relieved of head coaching duties. In
2006, he won his third
Grey Cup championship as the Lions won the
94th Grey Cup over the
Montreal Alouettes.
Zurich Renegades Ritchie returned to the field in 2011 as head coach of the
Zurich Renegades in the
top-level league in Switzerland, helping the team reach the semi-finals in 2012. ==Hall of Fame==