UFL's Showboats hire Ken Whisenhunt as new head coach, Jim Monos as GM
Ken Whisenhunt is the new head coach of the UFL's Memphis Showboats, the league announced Monday, and the team is also bringing in Jim Monos as their new general manager.
"We’re thrilled to add both Ken and Jim to the UFL to lead our Memphis Showboats franchise," Russ Brandon, president and CEO of the UFL, said in a statement. "Both men bring deep football credentials and pedigree to our league as we continue to build our football ecosystem."
Whisenhunt, an eight-year player (1985-92) in the NFL, has two head coaching stints under his belt already. He was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2007-2012, clinching a berth in Super Bowl XLIII after the 2008 season. Whisenhunt, 62, later served as head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2014-15. Prior to that, Whisenhunt won a Super Bowl as the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive coordinator in 2006 — his final season with them after joining the organization in 2001.
Whisenhunt went on to work in the NFL as offensive coordinator for the Chargers from 2016-2019 before shifting his focus to college football. He spent two seasons (2021-22) as an offensive analyst for Penn State before serving as a special assistant to Alabama's then-head coach Nick Saban during the 2023 season.
"I’m truly excited about this opportunity," Whisenhunt said. "I have been watching these leagues over the past few years, and I’m amazed at how things have grown and advanced. I’m looking forward to working with these young men. I know how important it is for them to have the opportunity to play professional football and have the possibility of getting to the NFL or back to the NFL."
[Read more: UFL announces 2025 season kickoff date, addition of Friday night games]
Monos, who served as the legacy XFL's senior director of football operations in 2022 and 2023, has some NFL experience as well. He served as the Buffalo Bills' director of player personnel from 2013-2017. Prior to that, Monos served as an area scout for the New Orleans Saints, earning a Super Bowl ring with the franchise following the 2010 season.
"Thank you to Russ Brandon and Daryl Johnston for this special opportunity," Monos said. "I am looking forward to helping Coach Whisenhunt build the best team we possibly can to represent Memphis."
The 2025 UFL Kickoff Weekend begins March 28. The kickoff game will be held on Friday as the league adds Friday night football to its 2025 season schedule. All games in the new time slot will be broadcast on FOX and the FOX Sports app.
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