Cleveland Browns Hire Todd Monken As Head Coach
Todd Monken named Cleveland Browns head coach, inheriting quarterback uncertainty and 10 draft picks over the next 120 days.
CNNTodd Monken hired as Cleveland Browns head coach
USA TODAYRanking every NFL coaching hire in 2026 after Browns add Todd Monken
The GuardianBrowns to appoint Todd Monken as head coach after slew of candidate withdrawals
Associated PressTodd Monken hired as the Cleveland Browns head coach
USA TODAYCleveland Browns hire Todd Monken as new head coach
Overview
The Cleveland Browns appointed Todd Monken as their 19th full-time head coach on Jan. 28 after a three-week search, according to the team's announcement.
The hire follows Kevin Stefanski's firing on Jan. 5 after the Browns finished 5-12 in 2025, leaving Cleveland with two No. 1 picks and 10 selections in the April draft that make the next 120 days crucial, owner Jimmy Haslam said.
Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam praised Monken's leadership and player development in a statement, while General Manager Andrew Berry cited Monken's varied offensive experience at the NFL and college levels.
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who helped Cleveland rank fourth in total defense in 2025, is under contract for one more season but is expected to seek other opportunities after being passed over, according to sources.
Monken's priorities include resolving the Browns' quarterback situation — with Deshaun Watson having played 19 games for Cleveland since 2022 and Shedeur Sanders starting the final seven games — and retaining key defensive staff ahead of free agency and the draft.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the hire as a mixed, pragmatic move that underscores organizational dysfunction: editorial emphasis on the Haslams’ poor coaching record, candidate withdrawals, and the costly Watson trade, plus phrasing that Monken was “not the one some expected.” These choices present a stopgap hire amid ownership struggles.