CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns fired head coach Kevin Stefanski at the end of the 2025 season and hired Todd Monken as their new head coach. The move follows a 5-12 season in which the team finished fourth in the AFC North and traded star defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for multiple draft picks and defensive end Jared Verse.

The Browns’ 2025 campaign was marked by offensive struggles, averaging just 16.4 points per game—the second-worst mark in the league—and ranking 31st in passing yards per game with 140.3. The offensive line allowed 51 sacks and produced only 3.9 yards per rush. Quarterback instability contributed to the difficulties, with Joe Flacco starting four games before being traded to the Cincinnati Bengals, Dillon Gabriel starting six, and Shedeur Sanders starting seven.

Gabriel, a third-round pick from Oregon in the 2025 NFL Draft, completed 59.5% of his passes for 937 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions but posted a 1-5 record as a starter. Sanders, a fifth-round selection, completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while going 3-4 as a starter. Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins, taken in the second round from Ohio State, started 14 games and rushed for 827 yards and seven touchdowns on 230 carries. Wide receiver Harold Fannin, a fifth-round pick, led the team with 72 receptions for 731 yards and six touchdowns, while fourth-round pick Dylan Sampson recorded 33 receptions for 271 yards.

Despite the offensive woes, Cleveland’s defense ranked 14th in points allowed per game at 22.3. Myles Garrett capped his Browns tenure by setting the NFL single-season sack record with 23 and winning the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year award. Rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger, who compiled 156 tackles, was named AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.

In response to the season’s outcome, the Browns traded Garrett to the Rams, acquiring defensive end Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick. Verse, who won the 2024 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award, has recorded 12 sacks over two seasons and enters his third season in 2026.

The Browns also bolstered their offensive line by trading for Houston Texans tackle Tytus Howard, re-signing guard Teven Jenkins, and signing guard Zion Johnson from the Los Angeles Chargers and center/guard Elgton Jenkins from the Green Bay Packers. In the 2025 NFL Draft, they selected Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano ninth overall, Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion 24th overall, and Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston 39th overall.

Monken, who previously served as the Browns’ offensive coordinator in 2019, returns after three seasons as the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator. Before that, he was offensive coordinator at the University of Georgia from 2020 to 2022, where the team won back-to-back National Championships. Travis Switzer, the Ravens’ former run game coordinator, will lead Cleveland’s offense, while Mike Rutenberg—formerly the Atlanta Falcons’ defensive pass game coordinator and a 14-year NFL coaching veteran—will serve as defensive coordinator.

The Browns’ sweeping changes reflect a comprehensive rebuild after a season defined by offensive futility despite defensive excellence. The trade of a record-setting player like Garrett signals a pivot toward future flexibility through draft capital and younger talent like Verse. Hiring Monken, who has both college championship and NFL coordinator experience, underscores Cleveland’s intent to revitalize its struggling offense.