Todd Monken has quickly made his presence known around the NFL in his first season as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, helping the team get off to a 3-1 start. The Browns have not started a season 3-1 since 2021, when Baker Mayfield was under center.
Monken Making an Early Impact
Monken has brought an old school approach to Cleveland, emphasizing discipline, accountability, and strong practice habits. This style of leadership appears to be fitting well with the Browns, as results have shown through the first four games of the season.
While the Browns still have 13 games left this season, Monken has already given the Browns a strong start in his first year leading the team. His experience on the offensive side of the ball has also played a major role in helping Cleveland develop its offense, something that has struggled in the past.
Monken’s Time In Baltimore
Monken entered Cleveland with a highly proven track record of developing offenses. Before Monken’s return to the Browns, where he was previously the offensive coordinator in 2019, he spent three seasons as the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator from 2023 to 2025, where he worked closely with Lamar Jackson.
During his first season in Baltimore, Jackson won his second NFL MVP award, receiving 49 of 50 first-place votes. The Ravens also had one of the league’s most productive offenses during Monken’s time as coordinator, including finishing with the NFL’s number one offense in 2024.
Monken now seems to be having a positive impact on quarterback Deshuan Watson. Through the first four games, Watson has looked more comfortable operating under Monken’s offense, which has helped Cleveland become more consistent on offense. The Browns struggled to reach the 20 point mark last season, only doing it in just six games. Through the first four games this season, the Browns have already done it three times, showing Monken’s early impact.
Monken has also shown emphasis on developing the young players around Watson. With players like Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion, and Harold Fannin taking on bigger roles. Cleveland has now begun building an offence that can be trusted to drive the ball downfield.
A Hire That Wasn’t Popular
When Monken first got hired as head coach in January of 2026, it was not a popular choice. One of the biggest concerns that surrounded this hire was the decision that defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz would not return unless he were prompted to head coach.
Replacing Schwartz started to get a lot of heads turning, considering how he developed the defense as one of the league’s best during his time as coordinator. However, it seems to have been forgotten about as Monken’s early impact with the Browns is starting to show.
The Browns are only four games into the season, but a 3-1 start has given Cleveland some early momentum that can be built off of. Monken’s approach already seems to be showing results, and the team will look to continue to use this strong start as the season moves ahead.
The Last Word
Monken still has plenty to prove as an NFL head coach, but his first four games in Cleveland are encouraging signs. The Browns are off to their best start since 2021, and Watson looks more comfortable in an offense built around his play style. With Monken’s previous success with Jackson, it gives Cleveland more reason to put trust in Monken to develop Watson even further. With the season only through Week 4, Monken has given Browns fans something to be excited about as they lead the AFC North, something that they haven’t done since November 2014.
Main Image: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
