Todd Monken hired as Browns head coach, bringing a veteran play-caller back to Cleveland
Todd Monken is set to become the next Browns head coach, a hiring that swings Cleveland toward an offense-first leader with decades of experience across college and the NFL. The move returns Monken to a franchise where he previously worked, this time with the top job and a mandate to stabilize a team coming off a difficult season.
The Browns fired Kevin Stefanski on Jan. 5, 2026 (ET) after a 5–12 finish, then ran an extensive search that ultimately landed on Monken as the choice to steer a reset in 2026.
Why the Browns chose Monken and what it signals
Monken’s résumé is built around quarterback development and modernizing passing games, which is the clearest clue to what Cleveland wants next. He spent the past three seasons running the Baltimore Ravens offense and previously coordinated high-profile attacks at Georgia, Tampa Bay, and Cleveland. His Georgia run included back-to-back national championships, and his NFL work has been defined by aggressive passing concepts paired with a commitment to spacing and matchup creation.
It is also a bet on experience after a search cycle that included younger coordinator candidates and internal options. Monken, 59, has coached for more than three decades and has already been a head coach at the college level, which can matter for a franchise looking for steadier leadership through roster decisions, staff building, and a long offseason.
Key terms have not been disclosed publicly, including the full length and structure of his contract.
Clearing up the “Ravens head coach” confusion
One reason the news has traveled fast online is the way Monken’s name shows up in searches, including variations like “todd monkin” and questions about whether he was the Ravens head coach. He was not. Monken’s most recent role in Baltimore was offensive coordinator, a top assistant position responsible for the scheme, play design, and weekly game planning, but not the head coaching role.
That distinction matters because it frames expectations: this is Monken’s first NFL head coaching opportunity, even though he has led offenses at the highest levels and previously ran a college program.
Further specifics were not immediately available on the exact timing of his official introduction and initial staff announcements.
How an NFL head coach hire typically gets finalized
The hiring process usually follows a familiar path even when the public hears the news late in the cycle. Teams conduct multiple interview rounds, then move into contract negotiations and staffing discussions. A candidate’s ability to assemble coordinators and position coaches can become the deciding factor, because a head coach is judged not only by play-calling or leadership style, but by whether the full staff fits the roster and the front office vision.
After an agreement is reached, the next steps typically include final paperwork, league administrative steps, and an introductory press conference. From there, attention shifts quickly to coordinator hires, how the coaching staff will handle the draft, and how the new regime will evaluate the quarterback room during spring and summer work.
What Monken inherits: quarterback questions and high expectations
The most immediate football question is quarterback. Cleveland has multiple paths, and Monken’s early decisions will shape the franchise’s direction. Deshaun Watson is expected to be on the roster after missing the 2025 season while rehabbing a torn Achilles, while rookie quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders saw meaningful action during a season that never found consistent offensive footing.
That uncertainty affects at least two major groups right away: Browns players, who need clarity on offensive identity and leadership, and the fan base, which has watched repeated resets and wants a sustainable plan. It also impacts the coaching staff and front office, because quarterback development timelines drive everything from playbook design to free-agency priorities and draft strategy.
The next verifiable milestone is the team’s formal announcement and introductory press conference, followed by the first round of coordinator hires that will reveal how Monken plans to structure the Browns offense and support the quarterback competition heading into the offseason program.
