The city of Cleveland seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief when it was announced that Kevin Stefanski was being relieved of his duties. Stefanski was once heralded as a hero and awarded the Coach of the Year award twice, bringing the Browns back to the playoffs, but it’s very easy to forget the good when the bad sticks around for several seasons.
After winning just eight games over the past two years, the Browns moved on, electing to add Todd Monken as their newest head coach. Monken comes to the team from the Baltimore Ravens, but he has years of experience that are said to serve him well in his new destination.
It’s easy for Browns fans to get excited about this hire, as Monken performed well as OC with the Ravens. This team’s offense has needed an infusion of life for years, and Monken could certainly provide that. The fanbase is loyal, and while they might know better at this point, there is a sense of optimism heading into 2026.
Analyst Robert Mays talked about this in a recent segment of 92.3’s The Fan, outlining the best-case scenario for Todd Monken in 2026.
“If you’re a Browns fan, the best way this can work out is that this is like Bruce Arians 2.0. Where, you have a guy who was a longtime assistant, waited for his chance, and surprised some people in terms of how good of a head coach he ends up being,” Mays said.
Comparing Monken to Arians might light the fire under Browns fans even more than it already was. Arians, of course, won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after years of being a coordinator. He did have a prior head coaching gig with the Arizona Cardinals, but besides that, his experience was limited in that role.
Tom Brady certainly helped him get to the mountaintop, and the Browns certainly have a ways to go, roster-wise, if they want to make the playoffs, let alone make a run to the big dance. But having the right coach is the first step in getting there, and if Monken works out, he’ll be an instant icon in the city.
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