Brent Monson

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Brent Monson joins the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as defensive coordinator in 2025 after spending the previous 15 years with the Calgary Stampeders.

The Hamilton native has strong ties to the community, as the McMaster graduate has playing experience with St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School and the CJFL’s Burlington Braves, while he began his coaching career with the OVFL’s Steel City Ironmen and Bishop Tonnos Catholic Secondary School in Ancaster.

Monson began his professional coaching career as a video assistant with the Stampeders in 2009, before earning a promotion to strength and conditioning coach and defensive quality control coach, working with the team’s linebackers, in 2010. That year, Calgary linebacker Juwan Simpson was recognized as the West Division’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.

In 2011, he would serve as the team’s defensive line prior to transitioning to the offensive side of the ball as running backs coach from 2012-14, overseeing a group that consistently led the CFL in several rushing categories and included Jon Cornish, who was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Canadian (twice) and the Lou Marsh award winner as Canada’s top athlete during Monson’s stint with the RBs.

In 2015, he moved back to defence to coach the linebackers, a role he would remain in for four seasons (2015-18). Under Monson’s guidance, Stampeders linebacker Alex Singleton was named a CFL All-Star and the league’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2017 after he established a new record for single-season tackles by a Canadian.

He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2019 and would remain in that role until 2024. During his time at the helm of Calgary’s defence, the Stampeders would lead the league in most sacks and fewest yards allowed per play,(2022) as well as fewest touchdowns allowed (2021). Several Stampeders defenders received all-star status under Monson’s tutelage.