John Harbaugh’s expected move to bring longtime offensive coordinator Todd Monken with him to New York is already receiving pushback, with ESPN anchor Linda Cohn rejecting the idea shortly after NFL Network reported Monken could be part of Harbaugh’s Giants staff.
Linda Cohn Voices Doubt as John Harbaugh Staff Comes Into Focus
The discussion started after NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Monken was “among the assistants expected to join John Harbaugh” as the former Ravens coach builds his Giants staff. Cohn responded on X with a blunt take on Monken’s recent track record in Baltimore.
I hope not. Ask any Ravens fan about his questionable play calling in big moments and bad results with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. https://t.co/60Abb05xdW
— Linda Cohn (@lindacohn) January 15, 2026
“I hope not,” Cohn wrote. “Ask any Ravens fan about his questionable play calling in big moments and bad results with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.”
Cohn’s reaction came at a moment when Monken’s future was already in flux. After Harbaugh was fired by Baltimore last week, Monken publicly acknowledged shortcomings in his handling of the Ravens’ offense and his relationship with quarterback Lamar Jackson during the 2025 season.
“I didn’t coach Lamar well enough,” Monken said last week on the Ryan Ripken Show. “I didn’t do the things we needed to do this year to win enough games to give ourselves a chance. I believe that.”
Baltimore finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs, ranking 20th in PFSN’s OFFi. Jackson dealt with multiple injuries throughout the season, and the offense struggled to sustain efficiency late in the year as the Ravens lost four of their final six starts with him under center.
Monken also acknowledged that his connection with Jackson could have been stronger, “I didn’t have as good of a relationship as I could have,” he said. “Lamar and I, to me, had a good relationship. Could it have been better? Of course.”
That context adds weight to Cohn’s criticism as Harbaugh works to assemble his Giants staff. While Monken was part of a Ravens offense that helped Jackson win MVP in 2023 and produce a 41-touchdown, four-interception season in 2024, the 2025 collapse and Monken’s own admissions have become part of the public record.
If Harbaugh formally brings Monken to New York, he would be hiring an offensive coordinator coming off a season in which he openly accepted blame for a playoff miss and a strained on-field product. But there is also a lot of promise.
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart is dynamic on the ground. Pairing Dart with Monken could unlock the rookie thrower and elevate New York’s offense.
