The Cleveland Browns took over three weeks to go through their coaching search and eventually landed on Todd Monken. Excitement is building now that he is starting to build out his staff, and so many people are speaking out in support of him. He wasn’t first on many people’s wish lists, but it’s starting to make sense why the Browns went this route.
Monken has a pair of National Championships under his belt in recent years and led Lamar Jackson to another MVP award and the best offensive season of his career. He brings a lot of sorely needed offensive expertise with him to Cleveland, and another former player recently added a bit of insight into the hiring process that led to Monken being the next head coach.
During a recent episode of The Top Dawgs Show, Phil Taylor talked about the process and touched on one aspect that didn’t sit right with him. He said that the Browns didn’t do right by former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and that the Monken hiring was likely a surprise to him.
“Obviously, somebody gave him the impression that he had it, and from what I heard, they hired Monken out of the blue and didn’t consult with him (Schwartz),” Taylor said.
"Obviously, somebody gave him the impression he had it. From what I heard, they hired Monken out of the blue and didn't consult with Schwartz." #DawgPound@PhilTaylor98 wishes the Browns gave Jim Schwartz a heads up about not being named HC before the announcement. pic.twitter.com/p852oEJaQ0
— The Top Dawgs Show (@TopDawgShow) February 13, 2026
Perhaps if Schwartz had been given a heads-up a bit earlier that the team was going with Monken or somebody else, it would have been possible to maintain a healthy relationship with Schwartz and find a way to keep him. Multiple reports stated that he was upset with the way things unfolded and packed up his things and left the facility immediately upon hearing the news.
It sounded like Schwartz was all in on being promoted, so it’s unlikely he would’ve stuck around under Monken, but it still hurts to see such a valuable member of the Browns family get turned away in such a manner. It’s unclear what the next step for him is, but his impact in this organization will be felt long after he is gone.
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