As recently as early Wednesday morning, Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz were considered the favorites to become the next head coach of the Browns.
Thus, many were surprised to learn later on Wednesday that the Browns were hiring Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as their new head coach. During an appearance on ESPN Cleveland, Browns insider Tony Grossi addressed how team owner Jimmy Haslam and general manager Andrew Berry ended up choosing Monken as the replacement for fired coach Kevin Stefanski.
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“This indicates that Haslam was never comfortable with Scheelhaase,” Grossi said, “and [Haslam] went against the recommendation of his search committee leader and GM. So, you gotta wonder about the future of Andrew Berry. They chose offense over defense, and they weren’t comfortable with Scheelhaase.”
On the same day that the Browns fired Stefanski, the Haslam family confirmed that Berry would remain in his role and lead the process “to find an outstanding new head coach and leader of our football team.” Neither the 35-year-old Scheelhaase nor the 59-year-old Monken has ever been a head coach at the highest level.
It sounds like Haslam wanted age and experience coming off Stefanski’s tenure.
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“I’m stunned,” Browns insider Daryl Ruiter said while speaking on 92.3 The Fan after news of Monken’s hiring went public. “I am absolutely stunned. I thought this was a Scheelhaase-versus-Schwartz battle royale. Who was gonna win? [Haslam] or Andrew Berry? And they went with Todd Monken. I’m flabbergasted. …It’s clear that somebody was not comfortable turning the car keys over to Nate Scheelhaase.”
In early January, Haslam said he took “huge exception” to the notion that the Browns have been responsible for “a dysfunctional building” under his watch. It sounds like the Monken decision won’t do Haslam any favors regarding such takes.
“They hired a guy who has openly admitted he didn’t do a good job with Lamar Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP,” Ruiter continued. “He’s now coming here to work with Shedeur Sanders and whoever else they’re going to have in that (quarterback) room.”
It’s unclear if Sanders, who was controversially named a Pro Bowl replacement, or somebody else will be Monken’s QB1 this coming September.