Another Ex-LSU Pass Game Coordinator Becomes NFL Head Coach As Cleveland Hires Todd Monken

By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

Another day, another former LSU pass game coordinator has become an NFL head coach.

Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who coordinated LSU’s passing game and was receivers coach with the Tigers in 2005 and ’06, became the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday.

Monken, 59, replaces fired Browns coach Kevin Stefanski. Monken’s 2024 offense with the Ravens under head coach John Harbaugh was the first in NFL history to amass 4,000 yards or more in the air (4,035) and 3,000 yards or more on the ground (3,189) as the Browns finished 12-5 and advanced in the playoffs. Harbaugh was fired after the Ravens fell to 8-9 in the 2025 season, but he soon became the head coach of the New York Giants.

Former LSU Pass Game Coordinator Joe Brady Named New Buffalo Bills Head Coach

Just a day ago, former LSU pass game coordinator Joe Brady, who helped direct one of the greatest offenses in college football history for the national championship Tigers in the 2019-20 season, was promoted from offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills to head coach.

Monken came to LSU after the 2004 season at Oklahoma State under head coach Les Miles, who replaced Nick Saban after he left for the Miami Dolphins. Monken was pass game coordinator under Miles at Oklahoma State from 2002-04. With Monken, Miles and the Tigers went 11-2 and 7-1, winning the Southeastern Conference West, and 11-2 and 6-2 in 2006.

He left LSU to become wide receivers coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars through the 2010 season before returning to Oklahoma State as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2011 and ’12. Monken then was Southern Mississippi’s head coach from 2013-15 before returning to the NFL as offensive coordinator at Tampa Bay (2016-18) and Cleveland (2019) before going back to college.

TODD MONKEN JOKES ABOUT GEORGIA CONTROVERSY BEFORE NATIONAL TITLE GAME

Monken turned around Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s struggling offense from 2020-22 with the Bulldogs winning back-to-back national championships in 2021 and ’22 because of the rejuvenated attack. Georgia has not won another title since Monken left after the ’22 season to become Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator with the Ravens.

Miles was not the only future LSU coach Monken worked with. In 1989 and ’90, he was a graduate assistant at Grand Valley State when Brian Kelly was defensive coordinator.

In addition to Monken and Brady, other former LSU assistant coaches who have become NFL head coaches include Bill Peterson (1955-59 at LSU), who was head coach of the Houston Oilers in 1972 (1-13) and 1973 (0-5), John North (1962-64 at LSU), who was head coach of the New Orleans Saints in 1973 (5-9), 1974 (5-9) and 1975 (1-5), former LSU graduate assistant coach (2000 at LSU) and defensive assistant (2001-02 at LSU) Adam Gase, who was head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2016-18 (10-6, 6-10, 7-9) and New York Jets in 2019-20 (7-9, 2-14), and former LSU graduate assistant coach Freddie Kitchens (2000 at LSU), who was head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2019 (6-10).

Former LSU head coach Nick Saban (2000-04 at LSU) was head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2005 (9-7) and 2006 (6-10).