Todd Monken kicked off Monday’s training camp practice with some tongue-in-cheek comments to local reporters, stopping well short of anything resembling an apology for the ever-changing nature of the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback situation.
The apologies actually came after Monday’s practice, following a moment the Browns’ new head coach would love to have back.
With Shedeur Sanders back with the starters following back-to-back days working behind Deshaun Watson, Cleveland’s offense reportedly had an up-and-down day full of mistakes and near-misses. It ended up snowballing into a brutal final 11-on-11 period where Monken first booted the entire first unit off the field and then ended practice early in a tizzy.
Browns reporter Ashley Bastock of Cleveland.com summed up the scene in one now-viral tweet:
“End of Browns practice. One minute end of half situation. Sanders up first and the drive ends with two false starts on the line. Watson next and after two completions, a sack, an illegal formation and a false start. Monken ended practice and looked like he threw something.”
Monken revealed to reporters on Tuesday that he spoke to his offensive players and regrets how he handled what was an emotionally-charged situation.
“Well, unfortunately, we sent them back with their head coach being emotionally hijacked, which isn’t a good thing. OK?” Monken said. “And I told them this morning that can’t happen. I should have just gone to a different cadence, just let us play out the drill. I was obviously frustrated. So, again, we’re never too old to learn, right?”
The Cleveland Browns' first-year head coach didn't make excuses after losing his cool: 'Emotionally hijacked'
Monken’s comments are a reminder that, even with his wealth of football experience at the age of 60, he’s a first-time head coach who will be learning on the fly this season just like Spencer Fano, KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston, and Cleveland’s other first-year players.
Monken talked extensively Tuesday about managing his first true game setting, which arrives with Saturday’s preseason opener in Chicago. From calling the offensive plays from the sideline for the first time since he was the head coach at Southern Miss, to dealing with the officials, clock management, and all the other chaos that comes with being the main man in charge, his extensive NFL background as an offensive coordinator will only take him so far.
That realization likely came with some self-reflection following Monday’s practice, as Monken made the one admission that should resonate with Browns fans and the players most: Bad football starts with coaching.
“I got fired up,” Monken said. “I was pissed, and that was awful; that was s— football, and that is going to get me fired up. And I have to own some of that. Obviously, we haven’t coached it well enough. There were other aspects about the two-minute that got me fired up that was obviously a reflection of coaching. I mean, those things… we’re getting plenty of effort. Guys are fighting their rear ends off. We’re tough. So we got that, OK? Well, how are we going to do the little things well? And that’s coaching. That’s me, and that’s our staff.”
It will be interesting to see how things play out against the Bears on Saturday. The Browns are already installed as sizable underdogs in their season-opening game at Jacksonville for a reason. Along with fielding one of the youngest rosters in the NFL, the Browns will enter 2026 with a head coach and all three major coordinators in first-time roles.
Monday’s meltdown definitely won’t be Monken’s only mistake of his debut season, but his response shows exactly why so many fans and players are already quick to have his back.
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