Wheaton, IL Native Hired to Lead the Cleveland Browns

The most dysfunctional franchise in the NFL has a new coach. Yes, another one. This time, the rolling clown car that is the Cleveland Browns have tapped a veteran at the college and pro level to lead their organization out of the abyss of ignominy in which they've been since their return to the league in 1999.

After firing their head coach Kevin Stefanski after six seasons, the Browns have named Illinois native Todd Monken as the franchise's 19th head coach. That number does not include the bevy of interim coaches the Browns have had since their return to Cleveland, due to head coaches being fired in the middle of the season.

READ MORE: Wisconsin Native Hired to Serve as Raiders' New General Manager

Todd Monken's Illinois Roots:

Todd Monken grew up in Wheaton, IL (fun fact: not too far from where I grew up), and attended Wheaton North High School before graduating from Knox College in Galesburg, IL. His Illinois roots led him to being a coach for numerous college programs, including the head coach of Southern Mississippi from 2013 - 2015. He amassed a 13-26 record during his three seasons with the Golden Eagles.

Monken served as the Browns' offensive coordinator during their ill-fated 2019 season. That was the year where many fans and analysts expected them to be good. The problem? They hired the woefully unqualified Freddie Kitchens to be their head coach. He lasted one season before he got canned.

Monken found great success while serving as the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens from 2023 - 2025. Under Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, Monken installed a more traditional, passing-style offensive for dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson. Under Monken, Jackson won NFL MVP in 2023.

In Cleveland, Monken assumes control of a team that went 5-12 last season. Despite having a strong defense, the team's offense was pitiful, ranking in the bottom five in most categories, including passing, scoring, and yards-per-game. Monken's offensive background should at least restore them to some semblance of competency.

As easy as it is to dunk on the Cleveland Browns, I'll be rooting for an Illinois native to turn the ship. Given that Monken still has to deal with the disastrous Deshaun Watson trade and subpar team ownership, he has his work cut out from him. Read more about Todd Monken being hired as head coach for the Cleveland Browns on Cleveland.com.