Todd Monken did not hold back on Sunday after the Cleveland Browns’ win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He made a point of calling out the media and especially Mike Tomlin, who previously tore into the Browns after their Week 1 loss.
Monken wasn’t afraid to forcefully push back on the idea that the “Browns are gonna Browns.” After making his statement, he received praise from several people, including Chad Johnson.
Speaking on Nightcap, he gave a special shout-out to Monken and his attitude.
“I want you to talk like you to talk when the cameras aren’t around,” Johnson said.
“We don’t have to pretend to be someone we’re really not,” he added.
Monken’s brief comment makes it clear that he truly believes in his team and what they are trying to do. He thinks they can turn a corner and push this franchise forward. Even though they got off to a rough start, they don’t have to stay in a bad position and have the skill to move in a new direction.
By clearly speaking his mind, Monken might be able to change the way that coaches handle post-game press conferences. Johnson said he’d love to see other team leaders talk like this, casting aside media training and how they are told to act. Instead, they could speak from the heart.
Monken might get some pushback from the league about his choice of language, but the sentiment is one Browns fans can get behind. They want a team leader who is passionate and stands up for his players. They want someone who has a fiery and positive opinion about his players and lets it be known often.
Monken’s personality seemed to be one of the things that won Browns’ ownership over when they hired him during the offseason. Now, fans and analysts are getting a much better look at the type of man and coach he is.
It may be having an impact on how this team performs.
NEXT: Insider Is Asking Browns Fans For One Thing Sunday
