Browns Pick Todd Monken as Head Coach, Turning Attention to Jim Schwartz’s Role and the Rams Coaching Staff Ripple
The browns have their next head coach, and the Cleveland Browns’ decision is already reshaping the late-January coaching carousel. Cleveland has selected Todd Monken to lead the franchise into 2026, a hire that immediately puts the spotlight on whether defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz stays in place and how quickly the organization can stabilize the rest of the staff after weeks of interviews.
The move also closes the door on two names tied closely to this search: Grant Udinski and Nate Scheelhaase, both of whom drew serious interest as rising candidates while still holding key roles on playoff-adjacent staffs.
Cleveland Browns turn to Monken, with Jim Schwartz continuity now the big question
Monken steps into a job defined by urgency and uncertainty: the Browns need clearer direction at quarterback, and they need to protect one of the team’s most consistent strengths, its defense. Schwartz was a finalist for the head coaching job and remains under contract through the 2026 season, giving Cleveland leverage if it wants to keep the defensive structure intact.
Whether Schwartz stays is now one of the first practical tests of Monken’s early leadership. Keeping Schwartz would allow the Browns to avoid a full reset on that side of the ball, preserve terminology and player roles, and maintain momentum for a unit the team has leaned on heavily. Further specifics were not immediately available.
From the organization’s perspective, the most attractive version of this hire is simple: a new head coach who modernizes the offense without triggering a defensive teardown. Key terms have not been disclosed publicly.
Where Grant Udinski and Nate Scheelhaase fit into the search, and why they are still central to the story
Grant Udinski’s name surged during the Browns process, but his candidacy ended when he agreed to remain in Jacksonville as offensive coordinator for the 2026 season. In practical terms, that move removed a fast-rising play-caller from Cleveland’s shortlist and reinforced a reality teams face every year: top assistant coaches can use head-coach interest to secure stability, raises, and longer commitments without leaving.
Nate Scheelhaase, the Rams passing game coordinator, took the opposite route in the sense that he stayed in the process deep into the final stages. Cleveland met with him multiple times, and his profile reflects the league’s growing appetite for younger offensive minds who can shape quarterback development. Scheelhaase is slated to remain with the Rams in 2026 after Cleveland went another direction, but his interview run has effectively put him on the short list for future cycles.
That matters for Los Angeles, because it highlights how quickly one hot staff can get pulled apart.
How the coaching carousel actually works, and why the Rams coaching staff is part of this Browns story
NFL coaching movement is as much about timing and permissions as it is about football ideas. Teams interview candidates, negotiate staff plans, and map out contract terms while also navigating restrictions that can limit when assistants can meet in person during the postseason. That means a candidate’s playoff schedule, current contract language, and even the timing of a team’s season ending can influence who gets hired first and which assistants are still available.
For the Rams, the process has been a live issue because their coaching staff has been heavily targeted. Scheelhaase has been one of the most visible names, and other Rams assistants have also drawn attention around the league. Even when a head-coach job does not materialize, the aftershocks can show up as coordinator openings, salary bumps, and internal promotions, all of which affect continuity for Sean McVay’s program.
In other words, Cleveland’s decision does not just finalize a Browns hire. It also reduces the immediate pressure on Los Angeles to replace a key offensive voice, at least for now.
What it means for players and fans, and the next concrete milestones
Two groups feel this immediately in real-world terms: Browns players and Browns fans. Players care about scheme stability, position coaching, and what changes at quarterback mean for the offense’s identity. Fans care about clarity after a turbulent stretch, especially with so much of the roster’s success tied to complementary football rather than weekly shootouts.
The ripple extends beyond Cleveland. Rams fans and offensive personnel benefit from continuity if Scheelhaase remains in place, while assistants across the league see another example of how quickly career trajectories can change during a single hiring window.
The next verifiable milestone will be Monken’s introductory press conference and the first wave of confirmed coordinator and position-coach hires, followed closely by staff-building deadlines that accelerate around late February as teams shift toward draft preparation and offseason roster planning.
