Todd Monken Hired as Cleveland Browns' New Head Coach

The 60-year-old brings an unconventional path and authentic leadership style to the struggling franchise.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 11:11am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a fragmented, geometric football scene, with sharp planes of muted earth tones and pops of orange and blue, conveying the complex challenges and high-stakes nature of Monken's new role.Monken's unorthodox path to the Browns' top job could shake up the NFL's coaching landscape.Cleveland Today

The Cleveland Browns have hired Todd Monken, a 60-year-old veteran coach, as their new head coach. Monken is known for his raw authenticity and ability to rebuild struggling programs, which the Browns hope will be the secret to turning around their dysfunctional offense and quarterback room.

Why it matters

Monken's hiring represents a departure from the NFL's typical preference for young, analytics-driven coaches. His old-school approach and willingness to speak his mind could challenge the league's status quo if he succeeds in Cleveland, or reinforce the importance of polished resumes if he fails.

The details

Monken's journey to becoming an NFL head coach is unconventional. At Southern Miss, he paid for tailored business suits for every graduating senior on his team, revealing his philosophy of mentoring players as humans, not just athletes. When he took over the struggling Southern Miss program in 2013, he thrived in the chaos, suggesting he may be the right person to dismantle the Browns' dysfunctional offense and rebuild from the ground up.

  • Monken was hired as the Cleveland Browns' new head coach on April 10, 2026.
  • He previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens from 2023 to 2025.

The players

Todd Monken

A 60-year-old veteran coach who is known for his raw authenticity and ability to rebuild struggling programs, which the Browns hope will be the secret to turning around their dysfunctional offense and quarterback room.

Lamar Jackson

The Baltimore Ravens' starting quarterback, whose relationship with Monken when he was the team's offensive coordinator was reportedly strained at times.

Shedeur Sanders

One of the Browns' struggling quarterbacks that Monken will be tasked with developing.

Deshaun Watson

Another Browns quarterback that Monken will need to help improve.

Dillon Gabriel

The third Browns quarterback that Monken will try to turn into a competent starter.

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What’s next

Monken's ability to develop the Browns' struggling quarterbacks, particularly Lamar Jackson, Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson, and Dillon Gabriel, will be crucial to his success in Cleveland. How he handles the quarterback room and earns the trust of his players will be closely watched.

The takeaway

Todd Monken's hiring as the Cleveland Browns' new head coach represents a departure from the NFL's typical preference for young, analytics-driven coaches. His old-school approach and willingness to speak his mind could challenge the league's status quo if he succeeds in rebuilding the Browns' dysfunctional offense, or it could reinforce the importance of polished resumes if he fails.