The Cleveland Browns have officially entered into a new era this offseason, as the team decided to part ways with head coach Kevin Stefanski shortly after the conclusion of the 2025-26 NFL season.
With Stefanski out of the picture, Cleveland now welcomes former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as the team’s next head coach. Monken brings plenty of experience to the table and will hopefully be the answer to the franchise’s struggles on the offensive side of the ball.
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Luckily for fans, the roster is starting to buy into Monken’s plans, as 2025 second-round pick Quinshon Judkins discussed the differences between the Browns’ newest head coach and Stefanski earlier this week on the Downs 2 Business Podcast.
“My past coach was really even-keeled, super quiet, and I thought I was going to get that from Coach Monken, but it wasn’t like that,” Judkins stated. “He was a real players-coach, like ‘give me a hug,’ and he was just super communicative of what he wanted from the team, what his goal is, what his objective is, and what he wants to come in and do. He knows exactly what he wants, and he has a vision.”
After missing the first week of the 2025-26 NFL season, Judkins would eventually become the Browns’ top running back, finishing his rookie season with 827 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on carries. Unfortunately for the highly-touted playmaker, his first year in the NFL was cut short due to a gruesome leg injury in Cleveland’s Week 16 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
Battle of Browns head coaches past vs. present
Browns HC Todd Monken
Despite Judkins landing on the IR for the remainder of the season, it was clear that there was dysfunction for the majority of last season. Stefanski, who was the Browns’ head coach for the past six seasons and won two AP Coach of the Year Awards, led the organization to a 5-12 record in 2025. His shortcomings last year prompted Cleveland to move on from him, as Stefanski finished his tenure with a 45-56 overall record.
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Now, general manager Andrew Berry will leave the head coaching duties in the hands of Monken, who was a successful offensive coordinator at both the college and professional levels. During his time with the Georgia Bulldogs, Monken helped the SEC powerhouse win two National Championships with quarterback Stentson Bennett at the helm.
Most recently, the 60-year-old coach spent the last three seasons with the Ravens, and played a key role in star quarterback Lamar Jackson’s MVP season in 2023. His ability to command an offense while also adapting his system to any team will be perfect for the Browns in 2026, as questions surrounding the quarterback position continue to linger heading into the offseason.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns RB Quinshon Judkins speaks on Kevin Stefanski, Todd Monken