Todd Monken’s three seasons as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator didn’t result in a Super Bowl title, but his work in Baltimore was impressive enough to help land him the Browns’ head coaching job this offseason.
Monken gives quarterback Lamar Jackson a lot of credit for that. In an interview with Brian Wacker of the Baltimore Sun, Monken called Jackson a “tremendous person” and said that he “wouldn’t have this job without him.” Monken also said that he told Jackson that in response to a congratulatory text from the quarterback after landing the Cleveland post, but added that those warm feelings will only extend so far.
“Then I said, ‘go f—k yourself,’” Monken said. “We are going to blitz you every third down. He laughed.”
Jackson won the MVP in 2023 and finished second in voting in 2024, but the Ravens lost close playoff games in both of those seasons. The quarterback’s injuries helped keep them out of the playoffs in 2025 and Monken said that “everything has a shelf life” in regard to the Ravens’ decision to clean house on the coaching side after the season.
Given Cleveland’s interest, Monken may have been moving on either way and now he’ll be tasked with trying to stop a quarterback he was previously trying to lead to a championship.
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