Ever since Todd Monken was associated with the Cleveland Browns, he has been surrounded by doubts over his capabilities and longevity with the team. However, an insider revealed Monken, well-aware of the stakes, is training the team with fresh energy.

“This is not a job. Every day I go through that gate and my facial recognition works, it’s unbelievable. It means I’m in the NFL. Unbelievable! Right now, you are Cleveland Browns. You know what tonight is? It’s not Saturday night in Berea, it’s a night to get ready to (practice) tomorrow,” Browns insider Terry Pluto reported Monken telling his players.

In his report, Pluto revealed that Monken “doesn’t seem like a first-year head coach.” This is in response to Monken’s critics who have long held his lack of experience as a head coach in the NFL against him.

After all, this argument discredits his over 35 years of coaching experience. 

Monken spent 26 years as a head coach on the collegiate level. He rebuilt Southern Mississippi from an 0-12 program in 2013 into a 9-5 one with a Heart of Dallas Bowl berth in 2015. He also helped Georgia win two consecutive national championships between 2021-22. 

In the NFL, Monken was instrumental in Lamar Jackson’s revival. Before Monken joined the Ravens in 2023, the quarterback had recorded 2,242 passing yards and thrown 17 touchdowns.

Monken, who was their offensive coordinator, improved strategies that reflected in the 2024 campaign. That season, he appeared in 17 games, passed for 4,172 yards, threw 41 touchdowns, and had just four interceptions. All career high. 

Pluto, in the May 23 report, wrote that the Browns wanted to hire a head coach whose “strength would be offense and developing a quarterback.” Well, Monken fits just right. While naysayers have been critical of Monken in the Browns, they feel otherwise.

Mason Graham Reveals Why He Loves Todd Monken As The Browns HC

The Cleveland Browns have gained their first-hand impression of Todd Monken as a head coach. As the team trains for the 2026, standout defensive tackle Mason Graham weighed in on Monken’s coaching style. 

“He’s from that Ravens’ tree. I played for Harbaugh, so I feel like there’s kind of a similar resemblance there, all about hard work. He wants to get a lot of plays,” Graham said on May 21. “I think like him, too. I feel like the best way good at football is playing football and getting reps. So that’s what I like.”

Browns insider Terry Pluto shared that Monken wants to eliminate bad football. Browns’ new offensive lineman Zion Johnson shared that Monken is working on penalties, especially the pre-snap ones. 

“He’s really emphasized that if we have a penalty out there, we’re reloading the play. If you’re false starting, you’re coming out. So it really forces that accountability onto you.”

The Browns are up for a significant challenge, and all eyes will be on Monken’s progression this year. What are your thoughts? 

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar