When LSU landed Lane Kiffin, it wasn’t just a splashy head coaching hire-it was a full-on offensive overhaul. One of the biggest wins in that deal?
Charlie Weis Jr. Following Kiffin from Ole Miss, Weis Jr. brought continuity, creativity, and a proven track record of developing quarterbacks and designing explosive offenses.
Most of Kiffin’s offensive staff made the move to Baton Rouge with him, giving LSU a ready-made system that could hit the ground running.
But LSU’s gain has also put a target on Weis Jr.’s back-at least in the eyes of NFL teams.
Weis Jr. didn’t just ride shotgun in Kiffin’s offense; he stepped into the spotlight during the College Football Playoff, showcasing his ability to call plays under pressure and adapt against elite defenses. That performance didn’t go unnoticed. NFL teams have been circling, and one of them-the Philadelphia Eagles-made a real push.
The Eagles reached out to Weis Jr. about their offensive coordinator vacancy, but he ultimately decided to stay at LSU. That was a big sigh of relief for the Tigers, who looked like they’d be heading into the 2026 season with their full offensive brain trust intact.
But that calm might be short-lived.
Enter: the Cleveland Browns. On Wednesday morning, the Browns made a surprise move by hiring Todd Monken as their new head coach.
Monken, who had been the offensive coordinator at Georgia and most recently with the Baltimore Ravens, wasn’t widely seen as the frontrunner for the job. But Cleveland made the call, and that decision could trigger a domino effect that hits Baton Rouge hard.
Here’s why: John Harbaugh, now the head coach of the New York Giants, was expected to bring Monken with him to New York as his offensive coordinator. That plan is off the table. And with Monken now leading the Browns, Harbaugh is back on the hunt for an OC-and Charlie Weis Jr. may be at the top of his list.
There’s logic behind the potential pairing. Weis Jr. worked closely with Jaxson Dart at Ole Miss, helping turn him into a first-round NFL Draft pick.
Dart is now expected to be the centerpiece of Harbaugh’s offense in New York. Bringing in the coordinator who already knows how to get the best out of him?
That’s a move that makes sense on every level.
And then there’s the family connection. Weis Jr.’s father, Charlie Weis Sr., spent time with the Giants as an assistant coach from 1990 to 1992, helping the team win Super Bowl XXV. That history might not be the deciding factor, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.
It’s worth noting that Weis Jr. already turned down one NFL opportunity in Philly. But the Giants job is a different animal.
It’s a chance to work with a quarterback he knows, in a system he helped build, under a coach with a proven track record. It’s also a chance to make his own mark in the NFL, outside of the Kiffin umbrella.
For LSU, it’s now a waiting game. They’ve already dodged one bullet, but this time the threat feels a little more real.
The Tigers are building something special on offense, and losing Weis Jr. at this stage would be a major disruption. If John Harbaugh picks up the phone, LSU fans might want to hold their breath.
The coaching carousel is still spinning, and Charlie Weis Jr. is right at the center of it.