The Cleveland Browns made something of a head-scratching move on Wednesday, hiring former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as the next head coach.
Monken has been part of the search from the beginning, interviewing with the Browns for the first time more than three weeks ago. However, as competing teams hired coaches and other candidates pulled their names from consideration in Cleveland, the prevailing notion was that the Browns would land on either defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz or Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase.
Instead, ownership chose a 59-year-old Monken against the recommendation of general manager Andrew Berry, bringing into question his future with the organization after the firing of former head coach Kevin Stefanski earlier this month.
“My initial reaction is, ‘Holy cow.’ My second reaction is Schwartz the DC or not? That would help me accept it,” Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland said on January 28. “If he’s not, you’re gonna get an offensive coordinator and a defensive coordinator off the grid that we haven’t even been talking about. So let’s see how the dust settles.”
“This indicates that [team owner Jimmy] Haslam was never comfortable with Scheelhaase, and he went against the recommendation of his search committee leader and GM, so you gotta wonder about the future of Andrew Berry,” Grossi continued. “They chose offense over defense and they weren’t comfortable with Scheelhaase. This is all on Haslam.”
Jim Schwartz Wants Out of Cleveland After Browns Hire Todd Monken as Head Coach
GettyCleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
While Berry’s future is up in the air, there seems to be more clarity where Schwartz is concerned — at least about how the team’s current DC feels about Cleveland bailing on his promotion.
“After the Browns informed DC Jim Schwartz this morning they were passing him over to hire Todd Monken as head coach, Schwartz was visibly upset, said goodbyes in the building and told other coaches he’s not coming back, sources tell The Insiders,” Pelissero reported via X. “Schwartz is under contract and Cleveland wants to retain him. But his future is now unclear.”
Schwartz has run the Browns’ defense for the past three years. The unit finished first in the NFL in total yards surrendered in 2023 and fourth in overall defense last season.
Todd Monken is Oldest First-Time Head Coach in NFL History
GettyFormer Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
Monken is the oldest first-time head coach in league history when considering interim stints in the job for other coaches in the past.
He spent the last three seasons as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator and would likely have joined John Harbaugh with the New York Giants in the same role for the upcoming season if he had not gotten the job in Cleveland.
Most of Monken’s coaching career has come in the collegiate ranks. He served as the wide receivers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2007-10, which was his first NFL position. Monken also served as offensive coordinator with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2016-18 and led the Browns’ offense in 2019.
After serving for three years as the OC/quarterbacks coach at Georgia, Monken returned to the pro game as Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator until Baltimore dismissed them both earlier this month.
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