Monken Reflects on New Role with Giants
INDIANAPOLIS — Todd Monken took a moment, a slight smile appearing on his face as he stood high up on a riser. He glanced down, looking a bit annoyed by the questions posed to him, though that wasn’t really the case—he was actually happy about the situation.
There was no ambiguity about Monken’s plans; he was ready to join John Harbaugh with the Giants as their offensive coordinator. The offer was laid out, and Monken was gearing up to accept it. Interestingly, he was also a contender for the head coaching position with the Browns, but that seemed unlikely.
Was he considering the challenges ahead with the Giants’ offense and how it might blend with young quarterback Jackson Dart? “Of course,” Monken replied, pausing again as he thought.
“Absolutely,” he said during a Wednesday session at the NFL Scouting Combine. “I honestly expected to land the head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns. It would be naive to say otherwise. But, I was really looking forward to heading to New York with Coach Harbaugh.”
For Harbaugh, after his hire by the Giants, he was fairly certain Monken would be the top choice for offensive coordinator. The two had worked closely together for three years with the Ravens, achieving notable success during that period.
Under Monken, Lamar Jackson thrived. In 2024, the Ravens set a record as the first team in NFL history to combine over 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in a single season.
It’s clear why Harbaugh would want Monken on board. When the Browns hired the 60-year-old coach, changes were necessary, leading Harbaugh to bring in former Bears head coach Matt Nagy—who had been the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator for the previous three years.
What direction will Nagy take the Giants? That’s a question we’ll have to wait to find out. And how exactly Monken would support Dart’s advancement? Well, that remains a mystery.
One thing is certain: Monken would have been enthusiastic about reuniting with Harbaugh, continuing his coaching adventure with the Giants.
“He’s elite in many areas,” Monken mentioned regarding Harbaugh. “As I’ve often said, he has this unique ability to address challenges that could hinder winning without confrontation. He just does. It’s peculiar. He doesn’t let issues linger. He’ll come right down the hall and say, ‘This isn’t good enough. What can we do differently? Where do we stand?’
“And let’s be real, offseason work is serious business. Every day is football. How can we elevate our game? Every single year I was with the Ravens, we were focused on advancing our offense constantly. What can be done to utilize our players’ skills better? The man is relentless and completely absorbed in the pursuit of football success.”
Now, Monken finds himself charged with bringing some much-needed winning dynamism to the Browns, who have been struggling. He’s looking at the quarterback situation with both Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson in the mix—a fascinating combination.
“I genuinely believe this is an open competition. I really don’t see why it couldn’t be,” Monken stated. “I don’t think we’ve seen enough in recent years to decide who should be the starter. There’s still so much to evaluate, both within the organization and outside.”
