Todd Monken has waited much of his life to become an NFL head coach. In fact, he admittedly left the staff of the two-time national champion University of Georgia to take one last chance at satisfying that long-shot dream.
After three years as the offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, that dream came true when he was surprisingly hired by the Cleveland Browns to replace Kevin Stefanski. Now, in just six months on the job, Monken is showing he was destined for it all along.
Browns analyst Nathan Zegura recently revealed a telling first impression of Monken, saying his direct, no-nonsense approach quickly pleased fans.
“I would say the first time that he spoke, he won a lot of the fans over. Todd Monken has won over this fan base, no doubt about it. Period,” Zegura said.
“I would say the first time that he spoke, he won a LOT of the fans over…”@NathanZegura on Browns new HC, Todd Monken: pic.twitter.com/27Wz9w646I
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) June 26, 2026
Based on reports from his very first minicamp, Monken was immediately noticeable with his culture-building approach focusing on accountability. During spring practices, Monken would take players out of drills if he thought they weren’t being done correctly, a tactic that was rarely seen during Stefanski’s six seasons.
Monken and his staff also would correct players on the way back to the huddle, rather than waiting for them to get there to capitalize on a teaching moment. It created a faster pace at practice, which allowed the team to get more work done.
The 60-year-old also capably dealt with the off-field distractions that could have misdirected the focus. He was visibly frustrated but diplomatic about Myles Garrett’s absence from workouts until the All-Pro was eventually traded away to the Los Angeles Rams.
Monken has also handled the ongoing quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders on his terms. Instead of backing himself into a corner based on his earlier stated desire to have a starter in place when training camp opens in late July, he deferred a final decision based on the way it was playing out, with Sanders’ improvement in particular.
Of course, Monken has yet to lead a team onto the field for an NFL regular-season game, and he hasn’t dealt with replay challenges or time management, but at least so far, it looks like he has a pretty good handle on things.
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