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.”