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Quinshon Judkins #10 of the Cleveland Browns
Maybe one of the strengths of former Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski in dealing with the ups and downs that hit the organization in his six years at the helm of the team was his ability to keep things level, to not get too high when the team made two playoff appearances, and not get too low when it struggled.
But from the beginning of the tenure of new coach Todd Monken, who was hired in January after a wide-ranging search for Stefanski’s replacement, it has been clear that level-headedness is not Monken’s strong suit. Monken is a shoot-from-the-hip talker, who brings a certain level of enthusiasm that, again, was not Stefanski’s style.
That enthusiasm could go in a few different directions when it hits professional players, who are often more cynical and business-focused than their collegiate counterparts. Monken has spent plenty of time coaching in the NFL, but as for being a head coach, he has only three years at Southern Miss under his belt. So there’s still some question as to whether Monken’s emotion will play well with the Browns.
Quinshon Judkins Was Browns’ Top RB in 2025
But he does have at least one early fan among the team’s core group of young players–Quinshon Judkins, the breakout running back whose 2025 rookie year was ended by a nasty ankle injury. Judkins is expected to be back in the mix for next season, and Monken has him ready to get started.
And he’s done so in a way that, Judkins said, Stefanski never really could. That could be big because while the Browns have struggled to answer questions at quarterback, Judkins is a potential star at running back. He played 14 games last season, rushing for 827 yards on 230 carries with seven touchdowns, and another 171 yards receiving on 26 catches.
Quinshon Judkins: ‘It Is Not What I Thought’
Judkins appeared on the “Downs 2 Business” podcast this week with Caleb and Josh Downs. He was asked about Monken … and threw Stefanski, at least a bit, under the bus.
“Bro, I have. And honestly, it is not what I thought it was gonna be, in a good way,” Judkins said. “I thought he was gonna be like—because my past coach, he was really even-keeled and like, super-quiet. I thought I was going to get that from Coach Monken. But he was like, a real player’s coach, bro.
“Like, give me a hug, all that stuff, he was super-communicative of what he wanted from the team, what his goal is, what his objective is, what he wants to come in and do. And you know, he knows exactly what he wants. He has a vision. I think that’s what is important as a head coach, especially being vocal about it, too.”
Browns Getting on Same Page
And certainly, what we’ve seen of Monken in his short time with the Browns already shows how there are differences between him and Stefanski. His energy and enthusiasm are different, and it appears he will be more willing to work in collaboration with coordinators.
Here’s what new OC Travis Switzer said when he was introduced to Browns media this week: “Coach Monk and I have been great from day one and our relationship has certainly built from that. …I think how he thinks and the more we can kind of do that, the better the operation is going to be. As far as pushback and all that, that’s not really how he operates. He’s a collaborative guy. He wants to listen, and then we decide together. You know, he believes that with him and I, the whole staff. I mean, that’s just his philosophy. And it’s been like that since I met him.”
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Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney
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