By Zac Jackson and Dianna Russini
Jan. 28, 2026
Updated 11:02 am EST
-The Athletic
The Cleveland Browns are hiring Todd Monken as their new head coach, according to a league source.
Monken spent the last three seasons as the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator. The 2024 Baltimore offense led the NFL in total yards and yards per play. Monken was the Browns’ offensive coordinator under then-head coach Freddie Kitchens in 2019, a season that ended with the entire coaching staff and front office getting fired.
Monken, who turns 60 next week, has 11 years of NFL coaching experience. His only previous head-coaching experience was at Southern Miss from 2013 to 2015, a job he left to become the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator in 2016.
The Browns requested an interview with Monken before the Ravens’ shakeup, which ended with John Harbaugh being fired after 18 years as head coach. After firing former head coach Kevin Stefanski on Jan. 5, the Browns conducted nine interviews in the first wave of their search and then held in-person interviews with five candidates: Monken, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and Washington Commanders run game coordinator Anthony Lynn.
The Browns interviewed Lynn in South Florida on Saturday. On Sunday, the team’s interview committee flew from Florida to Southern California for Monday’s interview with Scheelhaase, who became eligible for a second interview after the Rams’ loss in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.
The committee returned to Cleveland Monday night and finalized the hire of Monken on Wednesday.
It’s generally believed that Monken, Schwartz and Scheelhaase were viewed as the finalists. By choosing Monken, the Browns select a respected offensive mind with experience. Monken has seven previous seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator and served three years as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Georgia between his stints in Cleveland and Baltimore.
We’ll now see whether Monken chooses to retain Schwartz, who has overseen one of the NFL’s best defenses over the last three years despite the Browns’ offensive struggles.
Stefanski was the Browns’ head coach for six seasons and was fired after winning just eight games over his final two years. Stefanski was the longest-tenured coach of the team’s post-1999 era and the first new-era coach to lead the Browns to two playoff appearances. The Atlanta Falcons hired Stefanski as their new head coach on Jan. 17.
The Browns chose to keep general manager Andrew Berry, and team owner Jimmy Haslam said Berry would lead the coaching search. Berry now must work with Monken in trying to address and patch glaring holes across the Browns’ offensive roster.
In the coming months, the Browns may need to rebuild their offensive line while also looking to upgrade the receiving corps and find stability at quarterback. The Browns had five different starting quarterbacks in 2023, four in 2024 and three last season. Shedeur Sanders started the final seven games of his rookie season and went 3-4, and Deshaun Watson is almost certain to be back for 2026, the final year of his fully guaranteed $230 million contract, after missing all of 2025 while recovering from a twice-torn right Achilles tendon.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson won his second NFL MVP award in Monken’s first season in Baltimore in 2023, and in 2024 Jackson had a career-high 4,172 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes. The Browns have 35 touchdown passes over the last two seasons combined.
Monken will now go about the process of building a coaching staff. Even if he wants to keep Schwartz — or if that’s mandated by his new bosses — the NFL’s Rooney Rule applies to hires at offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The Browns must hold at least two in-person coordinator interviews with external candidates and at least one with a quarterbacks coach candidate.
It’s not yet known if Monken plans to call the plays or leave the play calling to someone else.
Jan. 28, 2026
Updated 11:02 am EST
-The Athletic
The Cleveland Browns are hiring Todd Monken as their new head coach, according to a league source.
Monken spent the last three seasons as the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator. The 2024 Baltimore offense led the NFL in total yards and yards per play. Monken was the Browns’ offensive coordinator under then-head coach Freddie Kitchens in 2019, a season that ended with the entire coaching staff and front office getting fired.
Monken, who turns 60 next week, has 11 years of NFL coaching experience. His only previous head-coaching experience was at Southern Miss from 2013 to 2015, a job he left to become the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator in 2016.
The Browns requested an interview with Monken before the Ravens’ shakeup, which ended with John Harbaugh being fired after 18 years as head coach. After firing former head coach Kevin Stefanski on Jan. 5, the Browns conducted nine interviews in the first wave of their search and then held in-person interviews with five candidates: Monken, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and Washington Commanders run game coordinator Anthony Lynn.
The Browns interviewed Lynn in South Florida on Saturday. On Sunday, the team’s interview committee flew from Florida to Southern California for Monday’s interview with Scheelhaase, who became eligible for a second interview after the Rams’ loss in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.
The committee returned to Cleveland Monday night and finalized the hire of Monken on Wednesday.
It’s generally believed that Monken, Schwartz and Scheelhaase were viewed as the finalists. By choosing Monken, the Browns select a respected offensive mind with experience. Monken has seven previous seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator and served three years as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Georgia between his stints in Cleveland and Baltimore.
We’ll now see whether Monken chooses to retain Schwartz, who has overseen one of the NFL’s best defenses over the last three years despite the Browns’ offensive struggles.
Stefanski was the Browns’ head coach for six seasons and was fired after winning just eight games over his final two years. Stefanski was the longest-tenured coach of the team’s post-1999 era and the first new-era coach to lead the Browns to two playoff appearances. The Atlanta Falcons hired Stefanski as their new head coach on Jan. 17.
The Browns chose to keep general manager Andrew Berry, and team owner Jimmy Haslam said Berry would lead the coaching search. Berry now must work with Monken in trying to address and patch glaring holes across the Browns’ offensive roster.
In the coming months, the Browns may need to rebuild their offensive line while also looking to upgrade the receiving corps and find stability at quarterback. The Browns had five different starting quarterbacks in 2023, four in 2024 and three last season. Shedeur Sanders started the final seven games of his rookie season and went 3-4, and Deshaun Watson is almost certain to be back for 2026, the final year of his fully guaranteed $230 million contract, after missing all of 2025 while recovering from a twice-torn right Achilles tendon.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson won his second NFL MVP award in Monken’s first season in Baltimore in 2023, and in 2024 Jackson had a career-high 4,172 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes. The Browns have 35 touchdown passes over the last two seasons combined.
Monken will now go about the process of building a coaching staff. Even if he wants to keep Schwartz — or if that’s mandated by his new bosses — the NFL’s Rooney Rule applies to hires at offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The Browns must hold at least two in-person coordinator interviews with external candidates and at least one with a quarterbacks coach candidate.
It’s not yet known if Monken plans to call the plays or leave the play calling to someone else.