The Cleveland Browns were one of 10 NFL teams to change their head coach this offseason. Like a majority of them, Todd Monken is a first-timer, but unlike the others, the 60-year-old is one of the oldest in NFL history.
Though he has a long career as an assistant coach, including a recent three-year stint as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, it is difficult to predict how Monken will fare in his new role. It should be noted that he is taking over one of the worst teams in the league over the past two seasons.
Monken looks to be getting disrespected in the latest rankings put forth by analyst Arye Pulli, who has him at No. 30 out of the NFL’s 32 head coaches.
“Monken was a highly respected offensive coordinator in the [John] Harbaugh regime with the Baltimore Ravens, giving him a real foundation — and after adding a few playmakers in the 2026 NFL Draft, Cleveland could have some firepower this season. The two main questions are whether his success in Baltimore can translate to Cleveland and who will be the starter at quarterback,” Pulli wrote.
Pulli graded every head coach on a 1-10 scale in five categories: identity/culture, schematic edge, player development, roster situation, and his confidence level in the team entering 2026. Monken earned a total score of 32, ranking ahead of only fellow first-time head coaches Jeff Hafley of the Miami Dolphins and Mike LaFleur of the Arizona Cardinals.
Monken was behind another first-timer, Klint Kubiak of the Las Vegas Raiders, at No. 29. Joe Brady of the Buffalo Bills was the highest-rated first-time head coach at No. 19, with Jesse Minter of the Baltimore Ravens at No. 24.
Kevin Stefanski, who was fired by the Browns this offseason, is ranked at No. 21 as the new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams was No. 1, followed by Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers at No. 2.
Monken’s ranking would seem to be low, based on the encouraging reports from minicamps and OTAs this spring. His first steps at culture building have been praised, and his focus on player accountability has been a noticeable contrast to Stefanski’s methods over his six seasons with Cleveland.
Of course, the only meaningful ranking will be seen in the standings, and the Browns are hopeful Monken will wind up much better there than he is on this particular list.
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