Former NFL wide receiver Armon Binns enters his fourth season as Northwestern’s wide receivers coach in 2026.
In 2025, Binns oversaw the emergence of junior wide receiver Griffin Wilde. In his first season in Evanston, Wilde earned All-Big Ten Third-Team honors after starting all 13 games and recording 71 catches for 880 receiving yards (12.39 average) and eight receiving touchdowns, which was tied for 23rd in the nation. His 880 receiving yards marked the most by a player in the David Braun era and the most by a Northwestern player since 2016 Austin Carr led the conference with 1,247 receiving yards. His 71 receptions were the most by an NU wideout since Carr (90) in 2016.
Sophomore wideout Hayden Eligon II (37 receptions, 521 yards and three touchdowns) also became the first NU underclassman wide receiver with 3+ receiving touchdowns in a season since Riley Lees scored three in 2018, and he was the first NU underclassmen with 30+ receptions in a season since Ben Skworonek had 45 in 2017.
In 2023, Binns helped Northwestern to an 8-5 overall record, which tied for a second-place finish in the Big Ten West with a 5-4 mark in conference games. The Wildcats ended the season on a four-game winning streak, including a 14-7 victory over Utah in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl, the program's fifth consecutive bowl win.
While in Evanston, Binns has coached numerous All-Big Ten receivers including A.J. Henning and Bryce Kirtz. Cam Johnson hauled in 54 catches for career-bests of 715 yards and six touchdowns and was signed by the Dallas Cowboys.
Henning logged 927 all-purpose yards in 2023, the most by a Wildcat wide receiver since 2016. Most recently in 2024, Henning earned All-Big Ten honors for the second straight season and set career benchmarks with 59 catches for 603 yards and four touchdowns and was signed by the Miami Dolphins.
During his time in Youngstown, he coached Bryce Oliver who was a First Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection. Oliver led the conference in regular season receiving touchdowns, set the single game record for receptions and tied the school record for career touchdown receptions. Binns also coached Max Tomczak who was selected to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team.
Binns worked at his alma mater the Cincinnati as a Quality Control Coach during the 2021 and 2020 seasons. Binns assisted with the wide receivers helping mentor Alec Pierce, a 2022 Second Round NFL Draft pick for the Indianapolis Colts. Pierce was a Second Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2021. Michael Young, who was a Second Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2020 and signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an Undrafted Free Agent in 2022. Tre Tucker, who was a Second Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2020. And Tyler Scott, who was a Second Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2022. The 2021 team won the American Athletic Conference Championship and was selected for the College Football Playoff where they played in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The 2020 team Also won the American Athletic Conference Championship and made an appearance in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.
Prior to joining to the Bearcats staff, Binns was the wide receivers coach at Hampton in 2019. Binns coached Jadakis Bonds, a First-Team All-Big South Conference selection. Bonds led FCS and the Big South during the regular season in touchdown receptions. Bonds set the Big South record for consecutive games to start the season with a touchdown reception. Bonds also set the school single season record for touchdown receptions and tied the record for single season receptions.
Prior to joining the Pirates staff, Binns was the senior offensive analyst at the Notre Dame in 2018. Binns assisted with the wide receivers helping mentor Chase Claypool a 2020 Second Round NFL Draft pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Miles Boykin a 2019 third round NFL Draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens. And Kevin Austin who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2022. The team was selected for the College Football Playoff where they played in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
Binns played Wide Receiver in the NFL from 2011-2015. He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2011, and also played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, and Kansas City Chiefs. He totaled 24 career receptions for 277 yards (11.5 ypc) with a touchdown grab.
Binns was a standout wide receiver at Cincinnati from 2007-2010. As a senior he led the Big East in receiving yards (1,101), receptions (75), and touchdowns (10) and was voted First Team All-Big East. During his junior year he led the conference in touchdown receptions (11) and was voted Second Team All-Big East. Binns is one of only seven UC wide outs to eclipse the 1,000-yard plateau in a single season. He still ranks among Cincinnati’s top 10 all-time in career/single season receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Binns was a part of two Big East Championship teams in 2008 and 2009. He was inducted into the James P. Kelly UC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019 along with the 2009 football team.
He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati in 2012 and earned a master’s degree from Arizona State University in 2018.
A native of Pasadena, California, Binns and his wife Lauren have four children, sons Noah and Eli, and daughters Eden and Micah.
In 2025, Binns oversaw the emergence of junior wide receiver Griffin Wilde. In his first season in Evanston, Wilde earned All-Big Ten Third-Team honors after starting all 13 games and recording 71 catches for 880 receiving yards (12.39 average) and eight receiving touchdowns, which was tied for 23rd in the nation. His 880 receiving yards marked the most by a player in the David Braun era and the most by a Northwestern player since 2016 Austin Carr led the conference with 1,247 receiving yards. His 71 receptions were the most by an NU wideout since Carr (90) in 2016.
Sophomore wideout Hayden Eligon II (37 receptions, 521 yards and three touchdowns) also became the first NU underclassman wide receiver with 3+ receiving touchdowns in a season since Riley Lees scored three in 2018, and he was the first NU underclassmen with 30+ receptions in a season since Ben Skworonek had 45 in 2017.
In 2023, Binns helped Northwestern to an 8-5 overall record, which tied for a second-place finish in the Big Ten West with a 5-4 mark in conference games. The Wildcats ended the season on a four-game winning streak, including a 14-7 victory over Utah in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl, the program's fifth consecutive bowl win.
While in Evanston, Binns has coached numerous All-Big Ten receivers including A.J. Henning and Bryce Kirtz. Cam Johnson hauled in 54 catches for career-bests of 715 yards and six touchdowns and was signed by the Dallas Cowboys.
Henning logged 927 all-purpose yards in 2023, the most by a Wildcat wide receiver since 2016. Most recently in 2024, Henning earned All-Big Ten honors for the second straight season and set career benchmarks with 59 catches for 603 yards and four touchdowns and was signed by the Miami Dolphins.
During his time in Youngstown, he coached Bryce Oliver who was a First Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection. Oliver led the conference in regular season receiving touchdowns, set the single game record for receptions and tied the school record for career touchdown receptions. Binns also coached Max Tomczak who was selected to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team.
Binns worked at his alma mater the Cincinnati as a Quality Control Coach during the 2021 and 2020 seasons. Binns assisted with the wide receivers helping mentor Alec Pierce, a 2022 Second Round NFL Draft pick for the Indianapolis Colts. Pierce was a Second Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2021. Michael Young, who was a Second Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2020 and signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an Undrafted Free Agent in 2022. Tre Tucker, who was a Second Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2020. And Tyler Scott, who was a Second Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2022. The 2021 team won the American Athletic Conference Championship and was selected for the College Football Playoff where they played in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The 2020 team Also won the American Athletic Conference Championship and made an appearance in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.
Prior to joining to the Bearcats staff, Binns was the wide receivers coach at Hampton in 2019. Binns coached Jadakis Bonds, a First-Team All-Big South Conference selection. Bonds led FCS and the Big South during the regular season in touchdown receptions. Bonds set the Big South record for consecutive games to start the season with a touchdown reception. Bonds also set the school single season record for touchdown receptions and tied the record for single season receptions.
Prior to joining the Pirates staff, Binns was the senior offensive analyst at the Notre Dame in 2018. Binns assisted with the wide receivers helping mentor Chase Claypool a 2020 Second Round NFL Draft pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Miles Boykin a 2019 third round NFL Draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens. And Kevin Austin who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2022. The team was selected for the College Football Playoff where they played in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
Binns played Wide Receiver in the NFL from 2011-2015. He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2011, and also played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, and Kansas City Chiefs. He totaled 24 career receptions for 277 yards (11.5 ypc) with a touchdown grab.
Binns was a standout wide receiver at Cincinnati from 2007-2010. As a senior he led the Big East in receiving yards (1,101), receptions (75), and touchdowns (10) and was voted First Team All-Big East. During his junior year he led the conference in touchdown receptions (11) and was voted Second Team All-Big East. Binns is one of only seven UC wide outs to eclipse the 1,000-yard plateau in a single season. He still ranks among Cincinnati’s top 10 all-time in career/single season receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Binns was a part of two Big East Championship teams in 2008 and 2009. He was inducted into the James P. Kelly UC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019 along with the 2009 football team.
He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati in 2012 and earned a master’s degree from Arizona State University in 2018.
A native of Pasadena, California, Binns and his wife Lauren have four children, sons Noah and Eli, and daughters Eden and Micah.