Browns' Todd Monken Kept it Cordial, But a Win Over Ravens Matters

Revenge is a dish best served cold on an NFL Sunday. 

In Week 6, a matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens provides one of the more under the radar revenge games on this year's schedule. But one that could come with some fireworks if it goes a certain way. 

It's no secret that new Browns head coach Todd Monken spent the last three seasons as Baltimore's offensive coordinator under longtime head coach John Harbaugh, who saw his 18-year tenure with the franchise come to an wnd after a disappointing 2025 campaign. With the change, Monken was also dismissed, and reports of a rift with Ravens star QB Lamar Jackson soon followed.

Jackson wasn't the only player reportedly frustrated with some of Monken's decision-making on offense last season. Those internal frustrations were well-documented and seemed to become a distraction that ultimately cost Baltimore a trip to the playoffs. 

But the past is the past, right? 

That's what Monken has essentially tried to say throughout this week as his new team prepared to face his old one. He spoke highly about the organization for the opportunity they gave him, reflected a bit on the good moments, praised key talents like Jackson, ageless wonder Derrick Henry and Swiss Army knife Zay Flowers.

He's kept it cordial tried not to make the game about him and suggested it was just another game – as any good head coach would. 

But there's another side of Monken that Browns fans and Ravens fans are both well aware of. The former fan base saw it first hand following a Week 2 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when Monken delivered a mic-drop moment as he responded to ex-Steelers head coach, turned TV analyst. 

"Browns are gonna Browns. F––k that!"

Tell me that guy doesn't deeply want to beat the team that let him go to a mud-slinging firefight, and I’ll show you a liar. Monken is a receipt keeper, which is why Henry wasn't buying his be the bigger person act this week, laughing off his public comments while suggesting behind the scenes, he's prepping the Browns to kick their ass. 

A win over the Ravens would mean a lot for this upstart Browns team, particularly because it would propel them into first place into AFC North. It would also mean a lot to their fiery coach, despite his best efforts to downplay it this week. 

And that's on top of the fact that it would represent the signature win of Monken's short tenure, legitimizing this surprising start to the season and proving to everyone that the Browns are firmly in the playoff conversation. 

So yeah, this game means more than Monken is letting on and those emotions may finally come out if his team comes out on top.