The Cleveland Browns officially have their guy. Todd Monken will be the 19th non-interim head coach in franchise history, returning to Berea after a brief tenure as offensive coordinator in 2019. This will be his first head-coaching experience, but after 37 years as a coach, he's got connections all over the league.
Notably, that includes Jameis Winston. Monken was the former No. 1 pick's offensive coordinator for three years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And even though the team had a combined 19-29 record during his time there, the offense was actually pretty solid.
As a former Brown himself, Winston had nothing but good things to say about Monken. When asked about the hire, Winston gushed about his former coach's body of work and preparation.
“Todd Monken is a tough, exciting coach that believes in empowering his players," Winston said, per Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan. "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.”
Jameis Winston tips cap to new Browns coach Todd Monken
It's worth noting that Monken didn't always call plays for Winston's Buccaneers. Head coach Dirk Koetter did so in the first two years, and Monken only did so for a handful of games in the third and final season of the marriage.
Even so, there are plenty of reasons why Winston likes him. Monken helped him complete 871 passes for a whopping 10,586 passing yards and 43 touchdowns in 40 games together. With Monken at the helm, the Bucs ranked in the top 10 for passing yards in every season, leading the league with 14,130 total passing yards with Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick behind center.
The Bucs' offense was at its best in 2018. They led the league in passing yards per game (320.3), while setting new franchise records for points (396), total yards (6,648), and touchdowns (49). They also finished third in total offense (415.5 total yards per game).
Monken was also instrumental in helping turn Mike Evans into a star. With him by his side, he logged his first three seasons with 1,000 receiving yards and his first two Pro Bowl selections. Hopefully, he will find the same success with wide receivers in Northeast Ohio.
Perhaps the most encouraging thing about these numbers is the fact that Monken adapted his offense to his players, and not the other way around. He ran an entirely different, run-heavy offense in Baltimore, so it'll be interesting to see what he can do with the hand he's been dealt in Cleveland.