After a lengthy search, the Cleveland Browns identify former Baltimore Ravens OC Todd Monken as their next head coach
After a 24-day odyssey of a coaching search, the Cleveland Browns officially identified their 19th head coach in franchise history, as ex-Baltimore Ravens OC Todd Monken will be returning to Northeast Ohio to take the job.
The news has been reported by numerous outlets and confirmed by Browns Roundtable.
While Monken largely flew under the radar throughout much of the team's search for a new head coach, the soon-to-be 60-year-old always remained in the mix for the job among team brass.
Cleveland chose Monken over rising offensive mind, Nate Scheelhaase, who is the Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator and even internal favorite, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
Keep Schwartz was a continued point of emphasis during this process, with numerous reports indicating that Haslam and Vice President of Football Operations Andrew Berry – who was tasked with running the search – spoke to potential candidates about retaining Schwartz if they were to get the job.
It's unclear at this time if Schwartz will stay on as defensive coordinator, granted he is under contract with the team in 2026. Reports indicate that the team does hope this move will open the door to keep Schwartz around and that Monken is open to Schwarts being part of his staff.
Monken did spend one season as offensive coordinator for the Browns in 2019, under first-time head coach Freddie Kitchen. His tenure ended unceremoniously with Kitchens being fired after just one season.
That dismissal sent Monken back to the college ranks, where he first cut his teeth as a coach from 1993-2006, to serve as the offensive coordinator at Georgia from 2020-2022. He helped the Bulldogs win two national championships during that span.
Then. Monken joined John Harbaigh in Baltimore in 2023 in the same role, helping transform the Ravens offense immediately. Star QB Lamar Jackson won his second MVP award during Monken's first year with the franchise. Over the last two seasons, Baltimore's offense ranked top 10 in EPA per play, including being No. 1 overall in 2024.
In the aftermath of Harbaugh's dismissal from Baltimore earlier this offseason, Monken recently admitted, that he felt he could have coached Jackson better during his time working alongside the dual threat QB,
In Cleveland, he'll be tasked with stabilizing the quarterback position and an offense that was one of the worst in football this past season.
This will be the first time in his career that Monken will be a head coach at the NFL level. His only previous head coaching experience came at Southern Miss from 2013-2015. After inheriting a program that went 0-12 before his arrival, Monken posted 13-25 record in three years, including an impressive 9-5 season in 2015 that ended with a loss in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.