Browns disaster: Why Todd Monken hire as HC is a massive miss

Andy McNamara

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Browns disaster: Why Todd Monken hire as HC is a massive miss image

The Cleveland Browns just took a time machine back to 2019, and the destination is disaster.

By hiring Todd Monken as their new head coach, the front office has bypassed the innovative future and the proven internal leader for a retread whose stock is on the decline.

While the Ravens’ offense soared in 2024, the 2025 season saw Monken’s unit fall back to earth. Baltimore’s scoring dropped from third to 11th at 24.9 points-per-game as his scheme became predictable and lacked the "explosive" identity that earned him the job.

Even worse? The 59-year-old's only head coaching experience is a mediocre 13-25 stint at Southern Miss.

In fairness, he did win C-USA coach of the year with them in 2015. Transitioning from a coordinator to the big chair is a leap he has never successfully made at the professional level.

MORE: ESPN's 2026 Browns blueprint: 3 moves that save (or sink) the offseason

The real tragedy is who they passed over. Nate Scheelhaase, the 35-year-old visionary from the Rams, represented the modern NFL's offensive revolution. Then there’s Jim Schwartz. Why not promote the architect of one of the NFL's most feared defenses? Schwartz already had the "vouch" of Myles Garrett and the locker room.

Now, the Browns face the terrifying possibility of Schwartz walking away rather than serving under a man whose underwhelming 2019 Cleveland tenure as OC ended in a staff-wide firing.

It seems clear that owner Jimmy Haslam meddled and undercut GM Andrew Berry, whom he had put in charge of the coaching search.

This Monken hire isn't bold or creative... It's setting up to be a massive miss.

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