The Cleveland Browns found their head coach from the franchise that used to identify as the Cleveland Browns.
Cleveland is hiring Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as their new head coach, the team announced on Wednesday. This will be the 59-year-old Monken’s first NFL head-coaching position.
“We are very excited to name Todd Monken the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns,” Browns Managing and Principal Partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement about hiring Monken. “Todd is highly intelligent, and his experienced, innovative offensive mindset has been at the forefront of constructing productive and successful offenses at the NFL and collegiate level over the last 20 years.
“He is an outstanding leader and has a clear vision to lead our team as a strong communicator who values trust with his players but also accountability and preparation. In our committee’s exhaustive reference work on Todd, his commitment to player development was evident, and his tough and straightforward coaching is respected by the players and the coaches he’s worked with, putting our team in a position to succeed while developing our players to maximize their talents.
“We welcome Todd, Terri, and the rest of the Monken family back to the Browns and look forward to him establishing the winning culture that will lead our team to the success our fans so deserve.”
Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase were also among the candidates to advance in the head-coaching process for Cleveland.
Schwartz, who was Cleveland’s defensive coordinator from 2023-25, isn’t expected to be the Browns’ defensive coordinator under Monken and is “upset” that he didn’t get promoted to head coach, per NFL Media.
Monken was reportedly considered a top candidate to become the offensive coordinator of the New York Giants, who hired former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh for the same role; Monken was Baltimore’s offensive coordinator under Harbaugh from 2023-25.
Monken had previous offensive coordinator stints with the Georgia Bulldogs (2020-22), Browns (2019) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2016-18), among other assistant positions. Monken was also the head coach at Southern Miss from 2013-15, highlighted by a 9-5 campaign in 2015.
The first-time NFL head coach will take over a Browns’ team that’s coming off a 5-12 season and saw it miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year and fire head coach Kevin Stefanski, the 2020 and 2023 NFL Coach of the Year, after six seasons (2020-25). Cleveland has the No. 6 and 24 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Meanwhile, Browns Executive Vice President of Football Operations and general manager Andrew Berry will return for a seventh season with the franchise.
“Todd has a varied and diverse background that we found as a particularly appealing match for our team at this stage in its life cycle,” Berry said in a statement about the team hiring Monken. “He has a direct, demanding, and detail-oriented leadership style that will create a great incubator for a young team. His successful offensive track record at both the pro and college level, with a variety of offensive systems and QB skill sets, will allow maximum flexibility as we make several, long-term investments on that side of the ball.
“The lessons he learned from John Harbaugh and Kirby Smart as well as his demonstrated track record turning around Southern Miss have shown us that he has a full understanding of what the position requires and the capacity to execute. We cannot wait to get started, and we welcome Todd, Terri and Travis to Cleveland.”
