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Browns HC Todd Monken To Call Offensive Plays; Latest On DC Jim Schwartz

By | at February 3, 2026 11:20 pm

After a successful three-year run as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator, Todd Monken became the Browns’ head coach last week. During his introductory press conference on Tuesday, Monken announced he’ll continue to call offensive plays in his new job (via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com).

Monken, now in his second stint in Cleveland, first worked there as the team’s offensive coordinator in 2019. However, head coach Freddie Kitchens called the plays then.

With Kitchens on his way out after a one-and-done season, Monken took the offensive coordinator position at Georgia in 2020 and went on to win two national championships in three years with the Bulldogs.

Monken returned to the NFL with the Ravens in 2023 and proceeded to lead top-tier offenses in back-to-back years. Quarterback Lamar Jackson won the MVP in Monken’s first season at the helm. Jackson nearly pulled off the feat again in 2024, when the Ravens finished first in yardage and third in scoring. Meanwhile, with 1,921 rushing yards that year, running back Derrick Henry fell just short of becoming the first player to reach 2,000 in two different seasons.

The Ravens dropped to 11th in points and 16th in total offense in Monken’s final year at the controls, though an injury-plagued season for Jackson was the main culprit. He missed four games and was seldom at full strength in his 13 appearances.

Jackson and Henry are elite talents, which is something the Browns’ offense is sorely lacking. There’s no clear in-house answer at quarterback, where Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Deshaun Watson may compete for the starting job over the summer. Tight end Harold Fannin, who enjoyed a standout rookie year as a third-round pick, may be the Browns’ best offensive weapon. That honor belonged to wide receiver Jerry Jeudy a year ago, but his production plummeted this past season.

On the ground, second-round rookie running back Quinshon Judkins racked up 827 yards and seven TDs in 14 games in 2025. Judkins averaged just 3.6 yards per carry before fracturing his fibula and dislocating his ankle in Week 16. Those injuries shouldn’t affect the former Ohio State star in 2026, though, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s more efficient under Monken and new offensive coordinator Travis Switzer. Before joining Monken’s staff last week, Switzer impressed under him as the Ravens’ run game coordinator from 2024-25.

In order to maximize their skill players’ potential, the Browns will need to sufficiently address myriad questions along their offensive line this offseason. Pro Football Focus ranked the unit as the second-worst O-line in the league in 2025, and now a handful of Browns blockers are a little over a month from reaching free agency.

Guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller, who have put together quality careers, don’t have contracts. Tackles Jack Conklin and Cam Robinson and center Ethan Pocic are also scheduled to hit the open market in March. Having suffered an early December Achilles tear, Pocic will be a free agent at an inopportune time.

Monken and Switzer will attempt to turn around an offense that was one of the league’s worst in 2025. Fortunately for then, there’s less work to do on the other side of the ball.

Led by coordinator Jim Schwartz, the Browns’ defense was a clear bright spot. The group ranked fourth in total defense and 14th in scoring, and all-world pass rusher Myles Garrett set the single-season sack record with 23.

A couple weeks after the early January firing of head coach Kevin Stefanski, Schwartz joined Monken and Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase as finalists for the role. Schwartz now wants out of Cleveland after the team passed on him in favor of Monken.

Schwartz still has two years left on his contract, though he may end up elsewhere in 2026 if his relationship with the Browns is beyond repair. Regardless, Monken revealed that the Browns will continue with the same defensive system.

“We’re not planning to change the (defensive) system,” he declared (via Zac Jackson of The Athletic). “We’re built for the system the (players are) in currently. I’m not gonna get into staffing (today) because it’s not the time to get into that, but (the players) can rest assured we’re going to keep the same system.”

Monken said he has “a lot of respect for Jim Schwartz, as I would hope he has for me,” but declined to comment on Schwartz’s status. With Monken working to assemble his staff, an answer regarding Schwartz’s future could come sooner than later.

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Todd Monken Was Browns’ ‘Strong No. 1 Choice’

By | at February 2, 2026 7:29 pm

The Browns’ decision to hire Todd Monken surprised many around the NFL, but very few in Cleveland. The former Ravens offensive coordinator was the “strong No. 1 choice” of the team’s entire search committee, including general manager Andrew Berry, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.

Monken, 59, beat out Nate Scheelhaase and Jim Schwartz for the job. Scheelhaase, the 35-year-old Rams’ passing game coordinator, is viewed as a future head coach around the league, including by the Browns. Schwartz has been the Browns’ defensive coordinator since 2023 and is currently trying to force his way out of Cleveland after being passed over for the head coaching gig.

The trio of finalist was determined by the Browns’ unorthodox hiring process that prioritized coaches’ resumes and reviews from former players and colleagues over their interviews, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Monken has a strong history with younger players dating back to an impressive stint as the head coach at Southern Miss, and his references included Jameis Winston, one of his quarterbacks in Tampa Bay; Kirby Smart, his head coach at Georgia; and Ozzie Newsome, the Ravens’ longtime front office executive.

That information, obtained early in the hiring process, kept Monken in the running even as younger candidates with hotter names interviewed for the job. Kevin Stefanski emerged as an early favorite in 2020 for similar reasons.

These reports could be interpreted as spin from the Browns after criticism of their coaching search, which featured several candidates who withdrew from consideration. Their decision to tap Monken over Scheelhaase is understandable, given his relative youth and inexperience, but opting not to promote Schwartz could cost them a coach they had been planning to keep all along.

Only time will tell if the Browns’ out-of-the-box approach to finding their new head coach will yield better results than more standard hiring practices. Monken has a tough task in front of him – Cleveland has won just eight games in the last two years – but the team seems confident that he can get the most out of their young roster.

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John Harbaugh Tried To Talk Todd Monken Into Taking Giants’ OC Job

By | at February 2, 2026 1:03 pm

When John Harbaugh was nearing an agreement to become the Giants’ head coach in mid-January, all signs pointed to then-Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken taking the same position in New York. Monken, who worked under Harbaugh in Baltimore from 2023-25, was in discussions with the Giants on a contract as recently as last week.

To Harbaugh’s chagrin, his plan went out the window when Monken became the Browns’ head coach last Wednesday. While Harbaugh told Bob Brookover of NJ Advance Media he’s “proud of [Monken],” he’s nonetheless disappointed the two didn’t reunite with the Giants

“I tried to talk him out of it,” Harbaugh said. “That’s my job, right. I really thought he was coming with us, but Cleveland was in there all along and he had been there before in 2019 as the offensive coordinator, so they knew him and he wanted this opportunity”

With Monken out of the picture, the Giants are still without an offensive coordinator in early February. However, Harbaugh believes there are still “a lot of really good candidates” out there. Harbaugh’s history of O-coordinator hires suggests he’ll opt for someone who has called plays before, Brookover notes. All seven OCs Harbaugh worked with in Baltimore from 2008-25 came with prior play-calling experience.

“Proven guys are always probably the most interesting, but then proven guys also have scars,” he told Brookover. “Sometimes people don’t want to live with the scars. But if you don’t have any scars you haven’t been in any fights.”

So far, the Giants have either interviewed or considered interviews with Brian Callahan, Jim Bob Cooter, Shane Day, Kliff Kingsbury, Robert Prince and Alex Tanney. Prince is no longer in the running, having joined the Falcons as their wide receivers coach last week.

Day and Tanney are left as the only members of the group who have not called plays in the NFL. Unless Harbaugh veers from his typical approach, it seems likely Callahan, Cooter, Kingsbury or a yet-to-be-named candidate who’s an established play-caller will serve as the Giants’ top offensive coach in 2026.

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Browns Hire Todd Monken As HC

By | at January 28, 2026 11:30 pm

11:30pm: Monken’s contract with the Browns will be five years in length, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. That has become the standard for new head coaching hires, with all of this year’s hires receiving a similar deal.

9:49am: Three-plus weeks after firing Kevin Stefanski, the Browns have found their next head coach. They’re hiring former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. The Browns have officially announced the move.

After the Browns canned Stefanski on Jan. 5, they sent their first known external interview request to Monken the next day. He booked a second interview with the Browns on Jan. 20 and became a finalist for the position, joining defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase.

The Browns told Scheelhaase they were going in another direction this morning, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Scheelhaase will remain with the Rams in 2026, according to Fowler.

Schwartz had reportedly picked up momentum toward a promotion, but the Browns will instead go outside the organization and choose a fourth straight offensive-minded head coach. While Schwartz remains under contract with the Browns, there’s “no guarantee” he’ll stay in place, according to Fowler. Unsurprisingly, Schwartz is likely to draw widespread interest from across the NFL, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports relays.

With the 60-year-old Monken on his way in, the Browns haven’t hired a defense-first candidate since they handed the reins to Mike Pettine in 2014. Between Pettine’s two-year run and Stefanski’s six-season tenure, the Browns turned to Hue Jackson for a couple of disastrous campaigns and Freddie Kitchens during a one-and-done 2019. Monken was Cleveland’s offensive coordinator under Kitchens. The unit finished 22nd in scoring and total offense that year, making for an interesting reunion given the dysfunction that engulfed the Browns during Kitchens’ 2019 season in charge. Although Monken was not believed to be happy during that Kitchens-led season, he is coming back to Cleveland to run the show.

After his first stint with the Browns, Monken returned to the college ranks, where he has garnered most of his coaching experience since he began as a graduate assistant at Grand Valley State in 1989. Monken was Georgia’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2020-22, an eminently successful run in which the Bulldogs won two national championships.

Before the Browns brought him back, Monken spent the past three seasons running AFC North rival Baltimore’s offense. The Ravens boasted an elite offense during Monken’s first two years at the controls. Quarterback Lamar Jackson won the MVP award in 2023 and nearly repeated during a first-team All-Pro campaign in 2024. With injuries limiting Jackson to 13 games in 2025, the Ravens finished 11th in scoring and 16th in yards.

The Ravens fired head coach John Harbaugh after stumbling to an 8-9 record, and they didn’t interview Monken before hiring Jesse Minter. With Harbaugh now the Giants‘ head coach, it seemed likely Monken would follow him to New York as his offensive coordinator. Indeed, the team was “very confident” it would reel in Monken, per Connor Hughes of SNY. The Giants and Monken had even worked on a contract in recent days, Fowler adds, but Harbaugh will have to look elsewhere.

While Monken’s reputation as a coordinator precedes him, he’s largely an unknown as a head coach. His only experience in that position came with Southern Miss from 2013-15. The Golden Eagles combined for a dismal 4-20 mark in Monken’s first two seasons, but they made a huge leap to 9-5 in his last year on the job. Monken then departed to become the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator, and Southern Miss hasn’t reached nine wins in any season since then.

In his first head coaching role in the NFL, Monken will face another daunting task in attempting to reverse the Browns’ fortunes. Stefanski earned Coach of the Year honors twice and led the Browns to two playoffs appearances, most recently in 2023, but posted a horrid 8-26 record over the past two seasons. The Browns’ Schwartz-coached defense ranked fourth in yards allowed in 2025, though an offense that finished 30th in yards and 31st in scoring doomed the club to a 5-12 mark.

Monken worked with a superstar quarterback in Baltimore, but he won’t have that luxury in Cleveland – at least not at first. Shedeur Sanders may be the frontrunner to start 2026 after finishing this season as the Browns’ No. 1 option. While Sanders oddly received a Pro Bowl invitation as a sub, the fifth-round rookie didn’t prove himself as a slam-dunk answer during his first seven starts in Cleveland. Meanwhile, third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel fared worse than Sanders before suffering a concussion against the Ravens in Week 11.

Along with Sanders and Gabriel, Deshaun Watson could also factor in to some degree after missing all of this season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles. The Browns’ decision to trade a bounty of picks to the Texans in 2022 and immediately hand Watson $230MM in guarantees was a head-scratcher from the get-go, and it has aged like milk since then.

Watson has made 19 mostly underwhelming starts in a Browns uniform over four years. Even though the former star signal-caller is due to count $80.72MM against the Browns’ cap next season, they’re likely stuck with him. It would cost the Browns an eye-popping $131.16MM in dead money to release Watson in 2026.

General manager Andrew Berry, who acquired Watson, is confident Monken is the right fit for Cleveland.

“Todd has a varied and diverse background that we found as a particularly appealing match for our team at this stage in its life cycle,” Berry said on Wednesday. “He has a direct, demanding, and detail-oriented leadership style that will create a great incubator for a young team. His successful offensive track record at both the pro and college level with a variety of offensive systems and QB skill sets will allow maximum flexibility as we make several, long-term investments on that side of the ball.”

Berry’s statement suggests the Browns will exercise patience with Monken, which will be necessary in the short term. With the Browns holding two first-round picks this year, including the sixth overall selection, Berry will be in position to give Monken more young talent to work with in 2026.

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John Harbaugh Retains Two Giants Coaches, Hires Two From Ravens Staff

By | at January 26, 2026 11:20 pm

John Harbaugh is about to complete his first week as the Giants’ new head coach, and as promised, he is making some changes in New York.

Outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen and tight ends coach Tim Kelly are the only two members of Brian Daboll‘s staff that will retain their jobs under Harbaugh, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

Bullen was hired before the 2024 season and served as the team’s interim defensive coordinator for the last four games of the 2025 season. His position group has arguably been the best part of the Giants’ defense over the last two years.

Brian Burns, Azeez Ojulari, and Kayvon Thibodeaux combined for 20 sacks and 32 tackles for loss in 2024; Burns put up 16.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss on his own this past season. Bullen also put together a decent defensive showing to end the season. His debut was a rough 33-15 loss to the Patriots, but after a Week 14 bye, the Giants allowed only 72 points and forced eight turnovers in their last four games.

Kelly also arrived in New York in 2024. He has not gotten much out of the Giants’ tight ends, though both Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger both took a step forward this past season. Kelly’s pre-Giants coaching career is not especially encouraging, either. Harbaugh may have preferred to hire George Godsey, his former tight ends coach in Baltimore, but Godsey already took a job as Georgia Tech’s offensive coordinator.

Harbaugh will be bringing other members of his previous staff to New York. The Ravens initially blocked a lateral move for special teams coordinator Chris Horton, but reversed course after hiring Jesse Minter. They are also letting running backs coach Willie Taggart follow Harbaugh, per Ian O’Connor of The Athletic.

Taggart’s role with the Giants is not yet known. He interviewed for the offensive coordinator job, but that is still expected to go to Harbaugh’s most recent OC in Baltimore, Todd Monken. Monken is still a candidate for the Browns’ head coaching job, but if he does not get it, he will immediately join Harbaugh’s staff in New York, according to SNY’s Connor Hughes.

Monken completing the expected Maryland-to-New York trek would only leave Taggart available for a lateral move, which the Ravens would have to permit. Given that Taggart’s hiring was reported before the Giants made their OC hire – and after Minter was hired – Baltimore seems to have allowed him to leave.

The same appears to be true of defensive line coach Dennis Johnson, who is also among Harbaugh’s initial hires, per KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson. He spent the last two years in Baltimore and played a key role in developing Travis Jones, though he could not get enough out of the rest of the unit in 2025 after Nnamdi Madubuike‘s season-ending injury. News of Johnson’s move to New York also came after the Ravens officially brought Minter aboard, indicating that he wanted to go in a different direction at the position.

Harbaugh could also be considering a much bigger reunion with a former Ravens coach: Rex Ryan.

“I’m not ruling anything out,” Harbaugh said on WFAN after being asked about hiring his former defensive coordinator (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio). “A guy like Rex, he’s around the game, he knows the game. He’s going to have to get updated a little bit with some of the scheme stuff, but I’ll tell you, no one calls a better game than Rex Ryan.”

Bringing the former Jets and Bills head coach back to the NFL would be a major swing on Harbaugh’s part, especially if he hired him as the Giants’ defensive coordinator. That job would come with play-calling duties, a tall task after a decade away from coaching.

Still, Ryan has interviewed for jobs in each of the last three hiring cycles. He was a finalist for the Broncos’ DC gig in 2023, interviewed for the same job with the Cowboys in 2024, and managed to insert himself in the Jets’ head coach search last offseason. He no doubt would jump at the opportunity to return to the league, especially under a former longtime colleague like Harbaugh.

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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at January 20, 2026 9:00 am

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 2-4-26 (1:13pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Drew Petzing)

  • Nathaniel Hackett, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Hired

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Joe Brady)

  • Pete Carmichael Jr., senior offensive assistant (Broncos): Hire expected

Chicago Bears (Out: Declan Doyle)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Tommy Rees)

Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)

  • Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed
  • Brian Johnson, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
  • Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Promoted

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Nick Rallis)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Hired

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)

  • Sean Duggan, former linebackers coach (Packers): Hired
  • Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Robert Saleh)

  • Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Interviewed
  • Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Hired
  • Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Rumored candidate
  • Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Interviewed

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

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Giants Finalize Deal To Hire John Harbaugh As Head Coach

By | at January 17, 2026 11:00 pm

The Giants have finalized a five-year deal with John Harbaugh to make him the team’s new head coach, per Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo, and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

“I’m proud and honored to the head coach of this historic franchise, and especially excited to work with the Mara and Tisch families,” Harbaugh said (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). “But most of all, I can’t wait to get started with the great players on this football team to see what we can accomplish together.” The 63-year-old is set to host his first press conference as the Giants’ head coach on Tuesday, per Garafolo.

Harbaugh emerged as the leading candidate for the Giants’ head coaching vacancy shortly after he was fired by the Ravens last week. He visited New York on Wednesday for a lengthy in-person meeting, but no deal came together before Harbaugh flew back to his (current) home in Baltimore. On Wednesday night, however, it was reported that Harbaugh accepted the job, which kicked off a multi-day process to finalize the agreement. The five-year deal is expected to be worth at least $100MM, per FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano, keeping Harbaugh as one of the highest-paid coaches in the league.

Compensation, however, was not the reason for this week’s delay, as that sum was agreed upon early in the negotiating process, according to Garafolo. Instead, Harbaugh wanted to change the Giants’ leadership hierarchy into one that more resembled the Ravens’. In the past, New York’s head coach has reported to the team’s general manager, who in turn reported to ownership, but in Baltimore, Harbaugh reported directly to owner Steve Bisciotti. The Giants agreed to Harbaugh’s terms and formalized the new reporting structure in his contract, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

“I report to [Giants owner] John Mara,” Harbaugh confirmed (via The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor). He added that he looks forward to forming a strong partnership with general manager Joe Schoen, who was a key part of the Giants’ full-court press to land the veteran head coach. It remains to be seen if there will be any other formal division of powers beyond the reporting structure written into Harbaugh’s deal.

Harbaugh will now get to work building his coaching staff. The Giants promised to spare no expense in hiring his assistants, many of whom will likely come from his previous staffs in Baltimore. Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is considered the top candidate for the Giants’ OC job, though he is also scheduled for a second head coaching interview with the Browns. Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who was Harbaugh’s assistant head coach in Baltimore in 2022 and 2023, is at the top of the team’s list of DC candidates.

After Harbaugh hires his top lieutenants, he will work with them to hire the rest of his staff. The Giants have already notified some of their incumbent coaches that they will be moving in a different direction, per The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.

At the same time, Harbaugh – and his new staff, as they come aboard – will get to work evaluating New York’s roster to prepare for the offseason. None will be more important than quarterback Jaxson Dart, who Harbaugh had already scouted in advance of his trip to New York, where the two got some face time.

“I’m very excited about these players,” Harbaugh said (via O’Connor). “I spoke with Jaxson two or three times at length & I couldn’t be more impressed with him. Watched him on tape, he had a heckuva rookie season and he’s got the right mindset. That is one tough dude.”

Harbaugh coached a few current Giants during his time in Baltimore, including linebacker Chris Board and safety Beau Brade. Pending free agent right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor started his career as a Ravens fifth-round pick in 2017, and offensive lineman Reid Holskey spent his first NFL training camp under Harbaugh last summer. In general, though, he will be working with a brand-new group of players.

“I think the Giants roster is strong and it’s our job to make it stronger,” Harbaugh continued, per O’Connor. “We are going to compete for the playoffs and for championships. I expect and want to make the playoffs next year.” 

That proclamation will gladden the hearts of Giants fans who have only witnessed two playoff berths since the team’s 2011 Super Bowl victory. New York has gone through multiple attempted rebuilds since, including their latest effort led by Schoen and Daboll that featured a wild card win in their first year and a 13-38 record since. Daboll was removed in November with the team headed for its third straight season with double-digit losses.

Consistent playoff appearances were a hallmark of Harbaugh’s time in Baltimore. The Ravens made the postseason in 12 of his 18 seasons as head coach, including five straight berths to start his tenure, culminating in a 2012 Super Bowl win. In the last eight seasons with Lamar Jackson, the team qualified for the playoffs six times, though Baltimore never won more than one game in a single postseason. Those struggles, as well as a concerning pattern of blown double-digit leads, were ultimately the impetus behind Harbaugh’s firing in Baltimore.

Harbaugh will be looking to bring that regular-season success to New York along with the strong culture and coaching staff he built in Baltimore. The Giants have a tight cap situation at the moment, but they could use Harbaugh’s reputation to draw a strong free agent class at more affordable prices. The team is also slated for the No. 5 pick in April’s draft, which will be one of Harbaugh’s biggest early decisions as a head coach.

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Browns To Conduct Second HC Interviews With Jim Schwartz, Todd Monken

By | at January 16, 2026 9:53 am

Attention around the NFL will soon turn to the matter of second head coaching interviews. In the case of the Browns, one internal candidate will receive another look.

Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is set to interview with the team for a second time, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. The follow-up meeting will take place on Monday, she adds. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees also took part in an initial interview with Cleveland, but Cabot adds he is not expected to conduct a follow-up.

Schwartz has further cemented his status as one of the league’s top defensive minds during his Browns tenure. His unit ranked first in the NFL in yards allowed in 2023 and fourth in that capacity this past season. The 59-year-old has received a number of endorsements from Browns players, and given today’s update the possibility remains Schwartz – whose only other interview to date has been with the Ravens – will become Kevin Stefanski‘s successor.

Schwartz served as an NFL head coach from 2009-13. His Lions tenure produced a record of just 29-51, but subsequent success as a D-coordinator has opened the door to interest in a second HC gig. Expectations would no doubt remain high on defense in Cleveland’s case in the event Schwartz were to take over, but it would be interesting to see how his offensive staff would be filled out in such a scenario.

Another target for a second Browns interview has emerged. During an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast (video link), ESPN’s Peter Schrager reported that Todd Monken is expected to speak with Cleveland once again. The current Ravens offensive coordinator has long been mentioned as a strong candidate to follow John Harbaugh to his next destination. That means a Giants hire in Monken’s case is anticipated by many. According to Schrager, however, arrangements are being made for the Browns to conduct a follow-up interview on Tuesday in Monken’s case.

In 2019, Monken served as Cleveland’s OC. That one-year stint was followed by a successful run at Georgia and three seasons in Baltimore (the first two of which were highly productive). Monken, 59, is a candidate to return to the Buccaneers as their offensive coordinator, pending the status of talks with the Giants he is likely to take part in shortly. The possibility of a head coaching opportunity could of course complicate any potential deal with New York.

Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand for Cleveland:

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Giants Likely To Hire Todd Monken As OC

By | at January 15, 2026 11:03 pm

The Giants are poised to become the first team to make an official head coaching hire in 2026. John Harbaugh is finalizing an agreement to head to New York.

Once that takes place, attention will turn to Harbaugh’s staffing choices. He is naturally expected to being a number of Ravens coaches with him, and that includes a likely offensive coordinator transition. Todd Monken is a strong target of Harbaugh’s, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. A Monken agreement is expected to make him the team’s next offensive coordinator, which would come as no surprise.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo confirms Monken is the “frontrunner” for New York’s OC spot at this point. Nothing is finalized at this time, with a formal search required before a hire can be made. Once Harbaugh is officially in place, he will also have to make a decision on the fate of interim head coach Mike Kafka, who served as the Giants’ offensive coordinator prior to Brian Daboll‘s firing. Brining in Monken would presumably lead Kafka elsewhere as the coaching landscape takes shape.

According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Monken – who is still under contract with the Ravens for now – “expects” to be offered the OC gig in New York. Notably, Stroud adds that Harbaugh and Monken have not spoken with each other since news of the pending Giants deal broke in Harbaugh’s case. Discussions between the two should be expected shortly. Of course, other options have been explored by Monken aside from the strong possibility of following Harbaugh to his next destination.

The Browns conducted an interview with Monken last week for their head coaching vacancy. A reunion with the Buccaneers as their offensive coordinator has also been floated, with an interview being arranged recently. Between the Harbaugh news and today’s updates, however, it would come as a surprise if Monken did not find himself guiding the Giants’ offense in 2026.

A young core led by quarterback Jaxson Dart appealed to Harbaugh and played a role in the mutual interest which was seen between team and coach leading up to their agreement. Provided he takes on OC duties, Monken will be tasked with overseeing Dart’s second year and his development alongside the likes of wideout Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo. An agreement on that front would leave one of the most experienced coordinator candidates off the market for other suitors.

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Todd Monken To Interview For Buccaneers’ OC Position

By | at January 13, 2026 9:50 am

The Buccaneers made a number of staffing changes shortly after their season ended. That included the expected dismissal of offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard.

In the aftermath of Grizzard’s firing, a shortlist of replacement candidates emerged. Todd Monken is among the staffers who have been linked to Tampa Bay. That comes as no surprise since he spent three years (2016-18) as the Bucs’ offensive coordinator.

The sides will meet this week about a potential reunion. Monken will conduct an in-person interview for Tampa’s OC vacancy, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports. The summit will take place tomorrow, he adds. Monken was named this past weekend as someone of interest to Tampa Bay, so it certainly makes sense an interview will take place. As things stand, Monken is under contract with the Ravens as their OC, but the firing of John Harbaugh came about after he refused to consider making an offensive coordinator change.

With that in mind, there is a widespread expectation Monken will not be retained by the Ravens once their new head coach is in place. Head coaching interest has also emerged in Monken’s case from the Browns. The 59-year-old could find himself on the HC radar of other teams shortly, but another offensive coordinator opportunity would come as no surprise. Of those, the one in Tampa Bay would be an attractive one given the success seen when the team is fully healthy on offense.

That was not the case often in 2025, but Baker Mayfield along with an intriguing skill-position group and an offensive line anchored by left tackle Tristan Wirfs represents a strong core to work with. Some holdovers from Monken’s Tampa stint – including wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin – are still with the team, although Evans is a pending free agent so a reunion in that case would not be assured.

Monken’s Bucs offenses finished mid-pack in scoring during each of his three seasons with the team. Tampa Bay ranked ninth in total offense in 2017, though, and followed that up with a third-place finish the following year. He would seek a repeat of that success in the event a return to the Buccaneers were to take place.

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