After a thorough and prolonged interview process, the Browns are turning to a familiar face to fill their coaching vacancy.
Cleveland has hired veteran offensive coordinator Todd Monken as the team's head coach, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported on Wednesday.
The team later confirmed the hire.
Monken was one of a handful of candidates considered to be finalists for the job, with Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz -- a coach Cleveland appeared intent on retaining with a new staff -- also in the running. Schwartz's involvement is now unlikely, as the well-regarded coordinator was visibly upset at being passed over for the top job and told coaches he does not plan to stay with the Browns despite being under contract and wanted in Cleveland, The Insiders reported on Wednesday.
Monken is intimately familiar with both Cleveland and the AFC North division. He spent the last three seasons as offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, directing an offensive transformation that cultivated quarterback Lamar Jackson's passing abilities and guided the superstar to his second NFL MVP honor of his career in 2023. Prior to his stint in Baltimore, Monken also served as Browns offensive coordinator under coach Freddie Kitchens in 2019.
A longtime play-caller and director of passing games, Monken has occupied the top job just once in his career prior to Wednesday: He served as head coach of the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles from 2013-15, piloting the program from a combined 4-20 record in his first two seasons before a 9-5 finish in 2015. Since then, he's bounced between offensive coordinator roles in Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Baltimore and at the University of Georgia.
"We are very excited to name Todd Monken the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns," Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. "Todd is highly intelligent, and his experienced, innovative offensive mindset has been at the forefront of constructing productive and successful offenses at the NFL and collegiate level over the last 20 years.
"He is an outstanding leader and has a clear vision to lead our team as a strong communicator who values trust with his players but also accountability and preparation. In our committee's exhaustive reference work on Todd, his commitment to player development was evident, and his tough and straightforward coaching is respected by the players and the coaches he's worked with, putting our team in a position to succeed while developing our players to maximize their talents. We welcome Todd, Terri, and the rest of the Monken family back to the Browns and look forward to him establishing the winning culture that will lead our team to the success our fans so deserve."
The 59-year-old Monken was considered a dark horse candidate for the Browns job and was reportedly expected to follow John Harbaugh from Baltimore to New York to serve as Giants offensive coordinator if his other opportunities didn't pan out. Instead, he outlasted multiple candidates through two rounds of interviews with the Browns, rising to the top of their candidates pool to replace Kevin Stefanski, who was fired earlier this month.
Cleveland's hiring process included a few stipulations not seen in most openings elsewhere. The Browns maintained plenty of interest in keeping Schwartz -- director of the NFL's fourth-ranked defense in 2025 -- and seemed to pilot their coaching search accordingly, interviewing young offensive minds like Jaguars OC Grant Udinkski and Rams assistant Nate Scheelhaase with an apparent goal of pairing one with Schwartz. They also considered Schwartz for their top job before ultimately choosing Monken, upsetting Schwartz enough to prompt him to say his goodbyes to those in the building on Wednesday.
Monken, meanwhile, returns to a club that looks vastly different from the one he left after Kitchens and his staff were fired following the 2019 season. Cleveland lacks an established option at quarterback, needs a talent infusion at receiver and requires some reconstruction along the offensive line in order to rehab the unit into a competitive one. Their 30th-ranked offense was undoubtedly one of the worst and least-threatening units in the NFL, and even the wisest of coaches will have a tough time making it into a competitive one without significant personnel upgrades.
Monken will return to Cleveland with quite a task ahead of him. Judging by his willingness to accept the offer, he's up for the challenge.
