It took 32 years for Todd Monken to land his first head coaching position in the NFL.

Monken can't fail, as he is now responsible for picking the right quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.

Former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho acknowledged the challenge Monken got on his hands.

On his show Speakeasy, Acho, now an analyst, has warned Monken against making any hasty decision on quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

“I think you have no choice. Shedeur Sanders, he showed a lot of promise.” Acho said. 

Not only that, but Acho also urged Monken to test Sanders before announcing him as the QB 1.

“If you are the Cleveland Browns, either through free agency or the draft, I believe you have to find some competition. Competition breeds excellence," he said. "So even if it’s not competition to supplant Shedeur, at least go get some competition to make sure that Shedeur is challenged. Make sure you’re going to get the best out of Shedeur.”

He had a rough debut in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens, with only 25% pass completion and two interceptions. But the rookie soon found his rhythm by Week 14, exploding for 364 passing yards and three touchdowns against the Tennessee Titans, despite the loss,

Unfortunately for him, things stalled after that. Sanders now has to compete with Deshaun Watson, who has at last recovered from his injuries and was already seen training for his comeback.

The Browns reaped two first-round selection picks in the 2026 NFL after ending the 2025 season with a horrendous 5-12 record. This means they could once again pick another quarterback. 

But most importantly, the team, as Myles Garrett expressed, is not confident with Shedeur as their call maker. Coach Prime's son has to prove he deserves to be QB 1, a point Acho agrees on. 

This Could Be Todd Monken's First and Only HC Job

Emmanuel Acho was unimpressed by the Browns’ selection process. He reminded Monken of what is at stake.

“However, if you are Todd Monken, you can’t afford, for your sole coaching opportunity, probably in your life, you’re 59 years old, and you got this job because you wrote an essay," Acho said. "You can’t afford for your sole coaching opportunity to be tethered to whether Shedeur Sanders will take the next step or not."

The franchise picked Monken from a pool of younger candidates, namely Nathan Scheelhaase and Grant Udinski. And it cost them their defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, who was the man behind one of the NFL's best defensive units.

Who do you think of Acho's opinion? Comment your thoughts and follow the Cleveland Browns Community for more stories.

Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Kalp Thaker