General Manager Andrew Berry revealed exactly why Todd Monken was the top choice to shape the team's future, pointing to a key evolution he oversaw in Baltimore. 

They held an introductory press conference for Monken at the Crosscountry Mortgage Campus, their headquarters in Ohio, on Tuesday, February 3. 

While explaining why the 59-year-old was the chosen one, Berry said, “We wanted someone who could lead, develop and grow a young team. Because, quite frankly, we're going to be one of the youngest if not the youngest teams in the league in 2026.”

The average age of the Browns’ players will be around 25.80 during the upcoming 2026 season, making them one of the youngest teams in the NFL. 

Berry also noted that Monken’s tenure with the Baltimore Ravens played an important role in his hiring. 

“I thought the coolest evolution was the contrast in his first two years in Baltimore. They were largely a power QB run-based offense under Greg Roman. They were looking to see Lamar take another step as a passer. He wins this second MVP, where they're very much a pass-oriented.”

Under Monken, Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson became a modern great. In the 2023 season, he became the NFL MVP, scoring 41 touchdowns, passing for 4,172 yards, and leading one of the best offensive units.

Cleveland fans will hope that Monken could do the same job with Browns' QB Shedeur Sanders.

Todd Monken and Sheduer Sanders’ Connection Brings New Hope

Todd Monken’s admiration for Shedeur Sanders was evident during their first meeting as the new QB-Coach pair. 

In the video posted by the Browns’ X handle, Monken said, “We tried to draft your a** last year, but it all worked out in the end.”

Sanders expressed a similar admiration for Monken. The 23-year-old was impressed by his contribution to developing Jackson. 

“It’s truly great that he was able to coach Lamar and he was able to accomplish everything that he was able to accomplish in his life and his career,” Sanders said. “I feel like we definitely have a connection just in talking to him and seeing kinda like his vibe and he has a great vibe about him.”

His first season as Cleveland’s QB was underwhelming. In 7 starts, Sanders scored 7 touchdowns for 1400 passing yards. While that sounds impressive, he also had 10 interceptions.

You can read more on the Cleveland Browns Community!

Written by

Kalp Thaker

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi