Former Williams College quarterback Mike Bajakian is apparently on the move again. This time, he’s heading back to the National Football League.

Bajakian, who left the University of Massachusetts in December to take an assistant coaching position at Michigan State, has left East Lansing and will be joining new head coach Todd Monken on the staff of the Cleveland Browns.

Bajakian, who was head coach Joe Harasymiak’s offensive coordinator in Amherst, will be the Browns’ quarterbacks coach, working under new Cleveland offensive coordinator Travis Switzer.

The news was first reported by the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, had been reported in multiple places, and two other sources told The Eagle that this was occurring.

The newest Browns assistant is reunited with Monken in the NFL. Both were part of coaching staffs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Bajakian was hired as quarterbacks coach in Tampa Bay by Lovie Smith in 2015, and was retained by head coach Dirk Koetter when the Bucs let Smith go. In three years under Koetter, Bajakian worked for Monken, who was named the offensive coordinator in 2016.

Under Bajakian’s tutelage, quarterback Jameis Winston had some of his statistically best seasons in the NFL. Winston was the NFL Rookie of the Year in 2015, starting all 16 games and throwing for 4,032 yards, 22 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Winston was the first overall pick in 2015. He also threw for 4,090 yards with 28 touchdowns and 18 interceptions in 2016, when the Bucs went 9-7.

Winston earn the Pepsi Offensive Rookie of the Year Award as he set team rookie records for passing yards, passing touchdowns, pass completions and passer rating. In 2016, Winston set then single-season franchise records for passing yards (4,090) and touchdowns (28), becoming the youngest player to throw for 50 touchdowns in NFL history.

Cleveland becomes Bajakian’s third NFL team. He was an offensive quality control and wide receivers coach with the Chicago Bears from 2004-06. He worked for Smith, who hired him in Tampa.

The Williams graduate had left Amherst in December, taking a job as the quarterbacks coach at Michigan State. Going to East Lansing reunited Bajakian with Pat Fitzgerald. Bajakian was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Northwestern during Fitzgerald’s last four seasons with that Big Ten school.

The Minutemen, who finished 0-12, were beset on offense by inefficiencies and injuries. The Minutemen started three different quarterbacks during the 2025 season. Two of them came to Amherst from the transfer portal. One, Brandon Rose, followed Bajakian from the University of Utah to UMass. 

Rose, Grant Jordan and A.J. Hairston all went into the transfer portal after the season. Jordan came out of the portal at Oklahoma State, while Hairston is now at FCS Merrimack. Rose is in the portal, but has not found a home.