The Cleveland Browns are reportedly moving to hire former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as their next head coach, according to CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones. Monken spent the last three seasons calling plays for John Harbaugh in Baltimore and previously served as Cleveland’s offensive coordinator in 2019.
General manager Andrew Berry was retained after the season and remains the architect behind recent quarterback additions such as Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders; Monken has worked with both players and will face roster and quarterback decisions — including Deshaun Watson’s status — heading into 2026. Monken has also been linked to the New York Giants’ open offensive coordinator job, and several other potential Cleveland candidates (Mike McDaniel, Jesse Minter and Grant Wudynski) withdrew, leaving Monken, Rams passing game coordinator Nate Schielhaas and Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz among the finalists.
This hire, if completed, is part of a broader shakeup in the AFC North: Pittsburgh brought in Mike McCarthy to replace Mike Tomlin and the Ravens hired Jesse Minter to succeed John Harbaugh. Monken’s résumé includes three seasons as Georgia’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Kirby Smart from 2020–2022, where he helped the Bulldogs win two national championships and went 37–3 overall, operating a balanced attack around Stetson Bennett before returning to the NFL with the Ravens in 2023.
Quarterback play will be a major focus under Monken. Shedeur Sanders started eight games this season, going 3–4 with a 56.6% completion rate for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and he earned his first career victory during that stretch. In his earlier one-year stint in Cleveland, Monken helped build a powerful rushing offense centered on Nick Chubb, who rushed for 1,494 yards in 2019 (second in the NFL); Cleveland finished 6–10 that year and fired coach Freddie Kitchens. Monken’s work in Baltimore coincided with a high-powered offense — Baltimore finished the 2024 season tops in total offense and rushing offense.
Fan take: This hire matters because Monken’s track record with run-heavy, efficient offenses could reshape Cleveland’s identity and heavily influence the development of its young quarterbacks. If he succeeds, it could shift the balance in the AFC North and underscore how much an aggressive offensive-minded coach can impact a team’s trajectory.
