The United Football League (UFL) announced on Monday that Ken Whisenhunt has been named the new head coach and Jim Monos is the new general manager of the Memphis Showboats.
Ken Whisenhunt is 63 years old from Augusta, Georgia. He played college football at Georgia Tech where he was a two-time First Team All-ACC as a tight end and Honorable Mention in 1984.
Whisenhunt began his coaching career at Vanderbilt for two seasons as the team’s Special teams, tight ends, and H-backs coach. He moved to the NFL in 1997 as the tight end coach of the Baltimore Ravens. He spent two seasons in Baltimore before taking the same position with the Cleveland Browns in 1999 and later as a Special teams coach with the New York Jets in 2000.
“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.”
In 2001, Whisenhunt joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as a tight end coach. He would spend six seasons in Pittsburgh including three seasons as an offensive coordinator. In 2005, Pittsburgh’s offense had 2,926 yards passing and 2,223 yards rushing leading them to an 11-5 record and went on to win Super Bowl XL over the Seattle Seahawks.
The Super Bowl win earned Whisenhunt a head coaching gig with the Arizona Cardinals in 2007. In 2008, the Cardinals finished 9-7 winning the NFC West. Arizona had 4,674 passing yards, 1,178 yards rushing, and 46 touchdowns leading the Cardinals to its first-ever Super Bowl in Super Bowl 43 where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-23.
Whisenhunt spent six seasons as Arizona’s head coach finishing with a 45-51 record (.469 AVG), and six playoff appearances (4-2). Then, Whisenhunt would spend two seasons as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans (2014-15) with a 3-20 record (.130 AVG).
After Tennessee, Whisenhunt became the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator from 2016-19. He would return to college as an offensive analyst for Penn State in 2021, and a special assistant to the head coach at Alabama in 2023.
Jim Monos joins the Showboats with plenty of football experience. He began as a scout for both the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints earning a Super Bowl in 2010 for New Orleans. He would later serve as a Director of Player Personal for the Buffalo Bills from 2013-17. He helped the Bills draft Sammy Watkins, Matt Milano, Dion Dawkins, and Tre’Davious White.
“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.”
He would also serve in the same for the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football in 2019. He most recently was the Senior Director of Football Operations for the XFL in 2022 and 2023.
