Sources: Browns hiring Todd Monken as new coach

cleveland browns hiring ex Baltimore Ravens Offensive coordinator Todd Monken will be their next head coach, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Monken, who turns 60 on Feb. 5, replaces Kevin Stefanski, who was fired on Jan. 5 after six seasons in Cleveland. The Browns finished 5-12 last season and have a record of 8-26 since reaching the playoffs in the 2023 season.

With Cleveland hiring Monken as their head coach, he’s now calling it quits. New York Giants And their head coach John Harbaugh is looking for a new offensive coordinator. Many expected Monken to follow Harbaugh to New York if he was not hired as head coach.

Monken, who spent the past three seasons in Baltimore and was not hired on new Ravens coach Jesse Minter’s staff, will become the franchise’s 11th full-time coach since returning to the NFL in 1999, trailing only him. las vegas raiders (13) During that period. He previously served on Freddie Kitchens’ staff as the Browns’ offensive coordinator in the 2019 season.

Monken was one of five candidates with whom the Browns had personal interviews with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, jacksonville jaguars oc grant udinsky, Los Angeles Rams Pass game coordinator Nate Scheilhaase and Washington Commanders Run game coordinator/running backs coach Anthony Lynn. A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Udinsky, who gave an interview last Friday, withdrew his name from consideration.

Cleveland scheduled a second personal interview with former miami dolphins Head coach Mike McDaniel and los angeles chargers defensive coordinator, but both withdrew their names from consideration; McDaniels joined the Chargers as their new offensive coordinator, and Minter agreed to terms with the Ravens.

Monken, a longtime assistant with more than three decades of experience in the college and NFL ranks, will get his first opportunity as an NFL head coach. He was the head coach at the University of Southern Mississippi from 2013 to 2015, posting a 13–25 regular season record. In 2015, Monken guided the program to a 9–5 season, an appearance in the Heart of Dallas Bowl and was named Conference USA Coach of the Year. He then left to become the offensive coordinator. tampa bay buccaneerswhere he played the role for the next three seasons.

Monken arrives in Baltimore after a successful three-year stint as offensive coordinator at the University of Georgia, where he led the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championship wins in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

In Monken’s first season with the Ravens, he helped quarterback lamar jackson Won his second Most Valuable Player award. The following season, Baltimore finished with the No. 1 offense for the first time in franchise history.

Monken’s NFL experience also includes a three-year stint as the wide receivers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2007 to 2010.

In Cleveland, Monken will be tasked with rebuilding an offense that has ranked last in scoring the last two seasons (15.8 points per game). Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees joins Stefanski’s staff atlanta falcons In the same role. Wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea is also joining. kansas city chiefs In the same capacity.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry, who led the head coaching search, said in his end-of-season press conference that the offense would make “significant investments” in the offseason. He also said that the new head coach will have decision-making authority at quarterback. deshaun watsonJoe, who did not play in 2025 because he repaired a torn Achilles tendon in October 2024, is expected to be on the roster in 2026. He will rejoin a quarterback room that also includes dillon gabriel And shadure sandersWho started six and seven games, respectively, as rookies.

Monken will inherit a defense that has been one of the NFL’s best units over the past three seasons. Since Schwartz’s arrival in 2023, the Browns’ defense has allowed the fewest yards per game (298.6) and posted the best third-down conversion rate (33.8%) in the league. defensive end miles garrett Also won the Defensive Player of the Year award under Schwartz in 2020. Garrett is a strong favorite to win his second DPOY award at next week’s NFL Honors after recording 23 sacks and breaking the NFL’s single-season sack record.

It is unclear whether Monken will retain Schwartz; Owner Jimmy Haslam previously said he would “absolutely” want to keep Schwartz in the organization. Berry said he was satisfied with the state of the defense, adding that personnel decisions would be the “prerogative” of the new head coach.

The Browns have the sixth and 24th overall selections in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, along with 10 overall selections.