This is about as Cleveland Browns as it gets.
The Browns fired 43-year-old head coach Kevin Stefanski — who won more games in Cleveland than any coach in four decades, led the franchise to two playoff appearances (its first in 18 years), its first playoff win in 26 years, its first winning season period in 13 years (two 11-win seasons, for that matter), was twice named NFL Coach of the Year and immediately became one of the most coveted head coaches on the market, landing with the Atlanta Falcons — to go on a protracted coaching search ending with the hiring of soon-to-be 60-year-old Todd Monken, who was not retained as the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the news Wednesday with the Browns announcing it shortly after. That leaves just the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders still without head coaches.
To be fair, the Stefanski era in Cleveland had lost its momentum with finishes of 3-14 and 5-12 since the second 11-win playoff season in 2023.
But delineating blame there requires truly knowing Stefanski’s input on the disastrous trade for embattled, immediately suspended, thoroughly ineffective and eventually injured quarterback Deshaun Watson. That move hamstrung the franchise financially and left it with one of the worst quarterback situations in the league — it’s honestly impressive the Browns won even five games with third-round rookie QB Dillon Gabriel and fifth-round rookie QB Shedeur Sanders starting 13 games.
The point being, it was an unenviable situation for any coach, and it was no surprise when Stefanski quickly landed one of the most desirable jobs this cycle.
Meanwhile, the Browns’ coaching search was defined as much by who didn’t want the job.
Jacksonville Jaguars OC Grant Udinski and former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel (who took the Los Angeles Chargers OC job instead) backed out of the head coaching search to keep or take coordinator jobs, while Jesse Minter also withdrew himself from consideration and signed on to be the Baltimore Ravens’ head coach. Longtime Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot also noted the team was interested in interviewing Rams DC Chris Shula, but he did not meet with them.
In addition to Monken, the Browns also held in-person interviews with their defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Los Angeles Rams pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Washington Commanders running backs coach Anthony Lynn and Udinski.
Monken may well prove to be the answer for the Browns.
The context of how the team’s coaching search played out or who he is replacing have nothing to do with his own merits — merely the perception of the franchise as a whole.
Monken has had a 30-year-plus career in college football and the NFL, including winning two national championships during his three years as offensive coordinator at Georgia (2020-22). He’s been an NFL OC for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2016-2018), the Browns for one season in 2019 and the Ravens the last three seasons.
His Ravens units finished 6th in the NFL in total offense in 2023 with QB Lamar Jackson winning the MVP award, 1st overall in 2024 at 424.9 yards per game and then 16th this past season when Jackson was sidelined for multiple stretches and seemed limited even when on the field.
In his previous stint in Cleveland, the Browns ranked 22nd offensively in 2019, but Monken was also successful during his tenure in Tampa Bay, where the Buccaneers improved from 18th in total offense in 2016 to 9th in 2017 and then 3rd in his final season there in 2018.
Monken has previous head coaching experience, leading Southern Miss from 2013-15. He took over a program coming off an 0-12 season and improved the team from 1-11 to 3-9 to 9-5 in his final season, winning Conference USA Coach of the Year honors. The Golden Eagles haven’t reached 9 wins in the decade since he left.
So, certainly, Monken has credentials. While Minter did not retain him as Ravens OC upon getting the job, there was an expectation his former boss John Harbaugh would bring Monken on with the New York Giants if he didn’t land a head coaching job.
Monken now gets his first NFL head coaching job about a week before turning 60, making him the sixth oldest coach in the league with everyone ahead of him on that list having at least six years of NFL head coaching experience.
He is one of the oldest first-time head coaches in league history, trailing David Culley (who turned 66 in September of his lone season as Houston Texans HC) and Vic Fangio (61 entering his first season as Broncos HC in 2019) while Bruce Arians turned 60 in October of his stint as Indianapolis Colts interim HC in 2012 before getting the Arizona Cardinals job after that season.
Monken steps into the offensive mess Stefanski left behind or was set free from — depending on one’s perspective — as the Browns finished 30th this season in total offense (262.1 YPG) and 31st in scoring (16.4 points per game).
Watson is still on the roster for now and expected to be cleared physically to return in 2026, along with Sanders and Gabriel rounding out the QB depth chart.
Cleveland did have a great defense in 2025, ranking 4th in the league in allowing just 283.6 YPG but 14th in scoring defense (22.3 PPG), and Monken will have to decide if he wants to retain Schwartz (if Schwartz wants to return, that is) after the defensive coordinator lost out to him for the head coaching position.
Monken is Cleveland’s 11th full-time head coach since the franchise returned to the NFL in 1999, which is the second-most for any team in that span behind the Raiders, who will be hiring their 14th head coach … eventually.
Editor's Pick
2026 NFL Postseason: Playoff Schedule & Draft Order