They’re calling it the worst coaching search of all time.
- Rett Chatfield
- Jan 28
- 3 min read
The Browns hired Todd Monken. I’ve scoured the internet, and I can’t find a single person who liked any part of this hiring process. As a Bengals fan, it’s a blessing to be in a division with the Browns. Let’s take it from the top and unpack this train wreck.
From the jump, firing Stefanski was probably a mistake—and arguably a favor to him. It’s never a good sign when the coach you fire immediately becomes the hottest name on the market. I don’t think a single person believes Stefanski is a bad coach, either. He won a playoff game, he has the highest winning percentage as a head coach since Bill Belichick was there, and he was saddled with the worst quarterback contract in NFL history. Not to mention how many other openings there were.
Moving on to the search, the Browns couldn’t even find applicants. Andrew Berry was having candidates fill out some sort of Google Forms survey about pre-calculus, which led Jesse Minter and Mike McDaniel to pull their names. Mike McDaniel would’ve rather taken the Chargers’ OC job than even attempt to leverage an interview with the Browns for more money.
The Browns then set their sights on 35-year-old Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase and 30-year-old Jaguars OC Grant Udinski. Udinski eventually pulled his name as well. The biggest sticking point was that the Browns were determined to keep their DC, Jim Schwartz. Sure, the Browns have had a good defense. Sure, the players love him. But where has any of that gotten them? Schwartz even made a push for the head coaching job himself. Clearly, most head coaching candidates want to take a job on their own terms, without a defensive coordinator who might try to take their job at the first opportunity.
In the final 24 hours, it looked like it was Schwartz’s job to lose. If you’re a Browns fan, fine—keep a good DC around. If the offense sucks next year, maybe you can tank. Then, out of nowhere, Todd Monken arrives. Did he interview? Was he even on anyone’s radar?
As the dust settled, the truth came to light. The real man pulling the strings—keeping Cleveland sad—revealed himself once again: Jimmy Haslam. In the eleventh hour, Jimbo overruled his GM, rendering those math quizzes meaningless, and made the call to hire Monken. Congratulations, Todd Monken—you’ve won the worst sweepstakes of all time. And on top of all this, their golden boy Jim Schwartz now wants out.
I did hear Monken’s name mentioned during the cycle. In fairness to Todd, the Ravens’ offense was number one in 2024, though it fell to average in 2025, largely due to Lamar Jackson’s injuries. Maybe the Browns’ offense comes out firing next year thanks to Monken and Pro Bowler Shedeur Sanders. But there’s not going to be another Lamar in Cleveland anytime soon, and Baltimore had no issue letting Monken walk.
One thing is clear, regardless of your opinion on Monken: Jimmy Haslam has no interest in allowing a real culture change on his watch. A guy like Scheelhaase or Udinski might not know any better—he’d come in, ruffle some feathers, and at least try to build a winning culture. Young coaches often want to make their mark, like Liam Coen did this past year in Jacksonville. Instead, Haslam once again chose a coach he can clearly walk all over.
Cleveland, this sucks. I’m sorry. You deserve better than Jimmy Haslam.
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