Todd Monken has been around the NFL for a long time, so he understands how quickly things can change from week to week. But even he has to be somewhat surprised by the ups and downs from his first two games as head coach of the Cleveland Browns.
After an embarrassing 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, there was talk that Monken might last just one season. Now, after a 23-19 upset of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, Monken might be considered a potential Coach of the Year candidate.
Riding high following their first victory, Browns legend Hanford Dixon is turning heads with his claim about Monken, calling the 60-year-old a “genius” but questioning a big decision.
“I’m telling you guys, this guy is a genius when it comes to offense. One thing I have to disagree with him on, and I couldn’t believe he did it: this was on fourth down. I totally, totally disagree with him. I guarantee you once we didn’t make it, he hated himself for it. He hated himself for it,” Dixon said.
Browns legend @HanfordDixon29 offers praise for Todd Monken. #DawgPound
"I'm telling you guys, this guy is a genius when it comes to offense."https://t.co/7qI8TX0qVI pic.twitter.com/236pFiSgk4
— BIGPLAY Cleveland (@BIGPLAYcle) September 21, 2026
The play Dixon is referring to did not look like a genius move by Monken. With 2:50 remaining in the second quarter, the Browns were facing a fourth-and-1 at their own 34-yard-line. Instead of punting the ball and giving the Buccaneers a longer field to navigate before halftime, Monken decided to go for it.
A wise play may have been to try to draw the Buccaneers offside, and if they didn’t jump, punt it then. But the Browns handed off to running back Quinshon Judkins, and he was stopped for no gain, giving the ball to Tampa Bay deep in Cleveland territory. On Monday, Monken defended the decision, saying he will always “play to win the game.”
Fortunately, as it did throughout the first half, the Browns defense was able to limit the Buccaneers to a field goal, and Cleveland trailed just 9-6 at halftime, when it could have been worse. That’s especially true after Tampa Bay received the second-half kickoff and went on a touchdown drive to build a 16-6 lead.
From there, Cleveland was able to rally for the victory, with quarterback Deshaun Watson throwing two TD passes, the last to Blake Whiteheart with 3:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. Watson delivered a 121.9 passer rating for the game, which was his best in almost three years, so maybe Monken deserves the genius label after all.
That is already a lot to live up to, and it can flip just as fast in the home opener against the Carolina Panthers this Sunday.
NEXT: T.J. Houshmandzadeh Calls Out Former Browns Coach
