The Cleveland Browns have made it official: Todd Monken is their new head coach - the 19th non-interim one in franchise history - and he’s no stranger to Berea. Monken returns to the Browns after a one-year stint as offensive coordinator back in 2019. Now, after nearly four decades in the coaching ranks, he’s finally getting his shot to lead a team.
This is Monken’s first head-coaching opportunity at the NFL level, but make no mistake - he’s been around the block. With 37 years of coaching experience under his belt, including time at both the college and pro levels, Monken brings a deep well of football knowledge and a reputation for building dynamic offenses. And perhaps just as importantly, he brings a network of former players who believe in what he does.
One of those players is Jameis Winston, who worked closely with Monken during their shared time in Tampa Bay. Monken served as the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator during Winston’s first three seasons in the league. While the Bucs didn’t light up the win column during that stretch (going 19-29), the offense under Monken was anything but stagnant.
Winston, who also spent time with the Browns, had high praise for his former OC. Speaking recently about Monken’s new role in Cleveland, Winston highlighted the coach’s intensity, preparation, and leadership.
“Todd Monken is a tough, exciting coach that believes in empowering his players,” Winston said. “One inspirational quote - and actually a mentality - that Coach Monk invited our offense to adopt was, ‘Everything Matters.’ And that obsession over every meeting and every play allowed us to have success.”
Now, it’s worth pointing out that Monken didn’t always call the plays during his Buccaneers tenure. Head coach Dirk Koetter handled those duties for the first two years, and Monken only took over play-calling for parts of the third season. Still, the numbers speak volumes about the kind of offensive production the Bucs had with Monken in the building.
During their time together, Winston completed 871 passes for 10,586 yards and 43 touchdowns over 40 games. The Buccaneers’ passing game thrived, ranking in the top 10 in passing yards each season and leading the league with 14,130 total passing yards over that three-year stretch - a total racked up by both Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
But 2018 was the crown jewel. That year, the Bucs led the entire league in passing yards per game (320.3) and set franchise records in multiple offensive categories: points (396), total yards (6,648), and touchdowns (49). They finished third in total offense, averaging 415.5 yards per game.
Monken also played a key role in shaping Mike Evans into one of the league’s premier wide receivers. Under Monken’s guidance, Evans posted his first three 1,000-yard seasons and earned his first two Pro Bowl nods. That track record should be encouraging for Browns fans hoping to see their own wideouts take the next step.
What stands out most in Monken’s resume isn’t just the numbers - it’s the adaptability. In Tampa Bay, he leaned on a vertical, pass-heavy attack.
In Baltimore, he pivoted completely, helping engineer a run-first offense tailored to Lamar Jackson’s unique skill set. That flexibility is exactly what you want in today’s NFL, and it’ll be interesting to see how he molds his system around the personnel in Cleveland.
The Browns have talent on both sides of the ball. Now they’ve got a coach who’s shown he can maximize it - whether it’s through the air, on the ground, or somewhere in between.
Todd Monken’s journey to a head coaching job has been a long time coming. Cleveland’s hoping it was worth the wait.