If there was ever a guy born to coach Joe Burrow, new Bengals quarterbacks coach Brad Kragthorpe just might be the guy.
Kragthorpe, a third-generation coach, may not be a Bayou legend like Burrow. But he played for one in Les Miles and he coached under one in Ed Orgeron.
Not only that, during his first year in that LSU quarterbacks room, Kragthorpe was coached by his father, two-time head coach Steve Kragthorpe. Then Brad became a coach himself at his alma mater and worked with Burrow as the Ohio State transfer settled into Baton Rouge.
And, not only that, the two times Brad Kragthorpe threw the ball for the Tigers in his career as a holder and backup quarterback, both plays ended in touchdowns.
“One was technically not a pass. More like a lateral,” says Kragthorpe of the 16-yard stunner to kicker Trent Domingue that beat Florida in 2015. “That was the great thing about playing for Les Miles. At any time there could be a fake field goal.
Kragthorpe is used to getting it exact for Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. A member of Taylor’s original 2019 staff, Kragthorpe has been on the ground floor of the system as first an offensive assistant, then assistant wide receivers coach, and then assistant quarterbacks coach before replacing Dan Pitcher, Taylor’s new offensive coordinator.
“His responsibilities have grown every year. We always put a little more on his plate as the years have gone by and we’re glad we did,” Taylor says. “If you gave him an assignment, he’ll knock it out of the park, and you get information that is right-on and helpful.
Like Burrow, Kragthorpe is a coach’s son. As he heads into his sixth season in Cincinnati, Kragthorpe notes it is the longest he’s lived anywhere in his 31 years.
“I know how rare it is to do that,” Brad Kragthorpe says.
