As supporters of the Cleveland Browns, fans are intimately aware of just how underestimated the franchise is on a year-to-year basis. What's worse is that there seems to be a 'Browns-tax' applied to anyone who joins the franchise, be it a player, coach, or executive. The accomplishments that preceded their arrival are frequently discounted or downright ignored because nothing gold can stay in Cleveland — or so they say.
Take Todd Monken, for example. Monken spent three years as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at the University of Georgia. After calling the shots for the 8–2 Bulldogs in 2020, Monken commandeered an offensive attack that went 29–1 over the next two seasons with back-to-back CFP National Championships to show for it. Not too shabby, eh?
Well, clearly he wasn't fulfilled. He returned to the NFL, intent on proving himself at the highest level. Monken joined the Baltimore Ravens in 2023, and the 19th-ranked scoring offense he inherited soared to fourth in his first year. Lamar Jackson received MVP honors for the season he put together with Monken at the controls. They followed that up with the third-ranked offense in 2024, with Jackson being robbed of a second consecutive MVP that inexplicably went to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen instead.
Todd Monken's 'down year' would be a career highlight for many NFL play-callers
You would think with such a sterling track record, the respect would come easily. For Monken, it's not quite so simple. See, in 2025, the Ravens slumped to an 8–9 record in a season in which Jackson missed four full games and large portions of two others. Operating with the quarterback cocktail of Jackson, Tyler Huntley, and Cooper Rush, Baltimore's offense still finished 11th in the league. It was their 18th-ranked defense that spelled their demise.
Moreover, that team dug out from a 1–5 hole to finish the year with a highly respectable 7–3 finish, coming a missed field goal away from making the playoffs in spite of their slow start. Football's a team game, so everyone shares in the blame. For Monken to carry the brunt of it, though, would be asinine. The man has a demonstrated ability to call plays at the highest levels of football.
That's what made it curious when CBS Sports published their Top 10 offensive play-callers and Monken was noticeably absent. He didn't even make the honorable mentions list. While the exercise is admittedly tricky, it's not nearly as hard as it was made out to be. The results reek of a popularity contest that was notably skewed towards younger coaches.
For example, former Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel placed fifth in their poll. McDaniel — who has demonstrated offensive genius to be sure — is nonetheless coming off back-to-back seasons coordinating the league's 22nd and 25th offense. They say numbers don't lie for a reason.
Matt LaFleur, who came in ninth in the poll, saw his Green Bay Packers offense rank behind Monken's last year. Ditto for the Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell, a coach whose offense cratered to one of the league's worst units (26th) in 2026.
If we're going by career bodies of work, fair enough. Monken's resume compares favorably to anyone's. Conversely, if it's about last season, he still deserves his flowers for the job he did. Alas, the omission of Todd Monken defies conventional wisdom. Those who are still asleep will be awakened in due time.
Admittedly, Monken won't have Lamar Jackson or a player in that stratosphere leading his attack in Cleveland this season. Hopes are high anyway, because he proved himself capable of orchestrating a productive offense regardless — with a hobbled Jackson and backups last season no less.
It's going to take an emphatic burst through the door akin to Jack Nicholson's character in The Shining to get the respect the Browns deserve. Fans can rest easy knowing they've got the right maniacal genius at the controls in Todd Monken.
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