Daniel Oyefusi
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- Daniel Oyefusi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. Prior to ESPN, he lined the Miami Dolphins for the Miami Herald, as nicely as the Baltimore Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.
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The Cleveland Browns are hiring former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken to be their subsequent head coach, league sources instructed ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Monken, who turns 60 on Feb. 5, replaces Kevin Stefanski, who was fired on Jan. 5 after six seasons in Cleveland. The Browns completed 5-12 this previous season and have an 8-26 report since final reaching the playoffs within the 2023 season.
With Cleveland hiring Monken as its head coach, it now leaves the New York Giants and their head coach John Harbaugh in quest of a new offensive coordinator. Many anticipated Monken to observe Harbaugh to New York if he was not employed as a head coach.
Monken, who had spent the previous three seasons in Baltimore and was not retained on new Ravens coach Jesse Minter’s employees, will develop into the franchise’s eleventh full-time coach since returning to the NFL in 1999, which trails solely the Las Vegas Raiders (13) throughout that span. He beforehand served as offensive coordinator of the Browns within the 2019 season on Freddie Kitchens’ employees.
Monken was certainly one of 5 candidates with whom the Browns held in-person interviews, together with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Jacksonville Jaguars OC Grant Udinski, Los Angeles Rams cross recreation coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and Washington Commanders run recreation coordinator/working backs coach Anthony Lynn. Udinski, who interviewed final Friday, withdrew his title from consideration, a supply instructed ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Cleveland scheduled second, in-person interviews with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator, however each withdrew their title from consideration; McDaniel joined the Chargers as their new offensive coordinator, and Minter agreed to phrases with the Ravens.
Monken, a longtime assistant with greater than three many years of expertise within the faculty and NFL ranks, will embark on his first alternative as an NFL head coach. He was the top coach on the University of Southern Mississippi from 2013 to 2015, registering a 13-25 common season report. In 2015, Monken guided this system to a 9-5 season, an look within the Heart of Dallas Bowl and was named Conference USA Coach of the Year. He then left to be the offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the place he served within the function for the following three seasons.
Monken arrived in Baltimore after a profitable three-year run as the offensive coordinator on the University of Georgia, the place he contributed to the Bulldogs profitable back-to-back nationwide championships within the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
In Monken’s first season with the Ravens, he helped quarterback Lamar Jackson win his second Most Valuable Player award. The following season, Baltimore completed with the No. 1 offense for the primary time in franchise historical past.
Monken’s NFL expertise additionally features a three-year stint as broad receivers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2007 to 2010.
In Cleveland, Monken will probably be tasked with rebuilding an offense that ranks final in scoring over the earlier two seasons (15.8 factors per recreation). Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees joined Stefanski’s employees with the Atlanta Falcons in the identical function. Wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea can be becoming a member of the Kansas City Chiefs in the identical capability.
Browns common supervisor Andrew Berry, who led the top teaching search, mentioned at his end-of-season information convention that the offense would have “significant investment” within the offseason. He additionally mentioned the new head coach may have a say within the determination at quarterback. Deshaun Watson, who didn’t play in 2025 as he rehabbed a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in October 2024, is predicted to be on the roster in 2026. He would rejoin a quarterback room that additionally consists of Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, who began six and 7 video games, respectively, as rookies.
Monken will inherit a protection that has been one of many NFL’s finest items within the earlier three seasons. Since the arrival of Schwartz in 2023, the Browns’ protection has allowed the fewest yards per recreation (298.6) and posted one of the best third-down conversion fee (33.8%) within the league. Defensive finish Myles Garrett has additionally gained a Defensive Player of the Year award below Schwartz in 2020. Garrett is the overwhelming favourite to win his second DPOY award at NFL Honors subsequent week after recording 23 sacks and breaking the NFL’s single-season sack report.
It’s unclear if Monken will retain Schwartz; proprietor Jimmy Haslam beforehand mentioned he “absolutely” want to hold Schwartz within the group. Berry, whereas saying he’s glad with the state of the protection, added that employees choices would be the “prerogative” of the new head coach.
The Browns maintain the sixth and twenty fourth general decide within the first spherical of the 2026 NFL draft, as nicely as 10 whole picks.
