Since firing Kevin Stefanski, the Cleveland Browns have been on a long search to find their franchise’s next head coach. Some of their top candidates ended up dropping out of the process, but it seems the Browns have finally found their guy.
Former Ravens OC Todd Monken Named As the Cleveland Browns’ New HC
Over the past few days, it seemed the Browns were down to three candidates: current Browns DC Jim Schwartz, Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase, and former Baltimore Ravens OC Todd Monken. In the end, they decided on the option that had just coached the division rival.
The Browns have hired Monken as their new HC.
ESPN Sources: the Cleveland Browns are hiring former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as their next head coach. pic.twitter.com/zyTpFKSuJf
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 28, 2026
Monken is praised around the league for his offensive mind and has been a part of HC conversations for years. In 2023, Monken took over a Ravens offense that was ranked 21st in the 2022 season, according to PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric.
In his first year with star QB Lamar Jackson, he heavily improved the offense, which ranked sixth overall, and Jackson won MVP. Baltimore’s offense improved in 2024, ending up second overall in PFSN’s metric, and Jackson had an even better season than his MVP year. He could have easily won again, but the award went to Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen.
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Last season was a bit different. Jackson dealt with injuries all season, the offense struggled in the red zone (27th) and in turnover rate (24th), and ended the season 20th overall in OFFi. This offensive drop-off is something to monitor with Monken, but the Browns will hope that he can coach up their struggling offense, which ranked dead last in the NFL with a 52.0 OFFi grade (while no other team graded below 56.3).
Looking at Cleveland’s roster, the Browns need to decide what the next step is at QB. Sheduer Sanders, who was just named to the Pro Bowl, could be the option, especially with the lack of QB options available this offseason. Normally, with the Browns having an early pick in the first round, the QB conversation would surround that selection. The issue is that the 2026 draft class is missing high-level QB prospects.
Monken is in an interesting situation regarding the Browns’ next QB, but he may be the perfect option to find the answer.
This is a breaking news story and will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.
