Todd Monken, in his first year as the Cleveland Browns’ head coach, has already guided the Deshaun Watson-quarterbacked squad to an impressive 3-1 start, putting them in sole possession of first place in the AFC North. It’s an early-season shocker that’s got everyone buzzing, and honestly, Monken’s pulling off what might be the greatest coaching performance of his career right now. This isn’t just a fluke, folks, it’s pure wizardry.
Monken’s Marvels: A History of Offensive Genius
Seriously, this guy is an offensive mastermind, even if his name doesn’t usually get tossed around with the Shanahan-McVay crew. Monken’s resume is stacked with moments where he just *gets* quarterbacks and offenses humming. Think back to his days as Oklahoma State’s offensive coordinator: he took quarterback Brandon Weeden and receiver Justin Blackmon and turned them into the most electrifying passing duo in college football, leading their team to a ridiculous 23-3 record. That’s not small potatoes.
Even in 2018, when he was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator, and the team went 5-11, it wasn’t his fault. Their defense was giving up 29 points per game, the second-most in the entire NFL that season! Yet, Monken still managed to cobble together the league’s No. 12 scoring offense, putting up 24.8 points per game. He squeezed a combined 5,125 yards passing and 36 passing touchdowns out of a quarterback platoon featuring Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick. That takes some serious skill.
From Walk-Ons to MVPs: The Monken Touch
His magic touch continued at Georgia, where as offensive coordinator from 2020 to 2022, he took a former walk-on quarterback, Stetson Bennett, and molded him into a two-time national championship winner in 2021 and 2022. Yeah, those Bulldogs had a defense loaded with future NFL first-rounders, but Monken’s offenses were still lighting up the scoreboard, finishing ninth in college football scoring in 2021 (38.6 points per game) and climbing to fifth in 2022 (41.1 points per game).
And then there’s what he did with Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. Jackson won the 2023 NFL MVP under Monken, but his absolute peak came in 2024. That year, he earned first-team All-Pro honors, finishing as the MVP runner-up to Josh Allen. Jackson’s 2024 season was straight-up legendary: 4,172 yards passing, a mind-blowing 41-4 passing touchdown-to-interception ratio, 915 yards rushing, and a 119.6 passer rating. He hit historical marks, becoming the first player ever to throw for 4,000+ yards and rush for 600+ yards, or throw for 40+ TDs and rush for 800+ yards, or throw for 40+ TDs with fewer than five interceptions. And get this: he was a reigning MVP who followed it up with 40+ passing touchdowns the next season. That’s a legacy-making performance, all under Monken’s guidance.
So, when you look at that track record, it’s no wonder Deshaun Watson and the Browns are sitting at 3-1 and leading their division. This early success for Monken and Cleveland means they’re not just trending up, they’re showing the kind of immediate impact that can reshape a season. The question now is, how much more magic does Monken have in store for us?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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