Todd Monken spent the past three seasons trying to make Lamar Jackson the best quarterback in the NFL.
Now he’s going to do his best to make sure Jackson is the worst QB while facing the Cleveland Browns.
The former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator, and first-year Browns head coach, issued a warning at the two-time AP MVP quarterback during a recent interview with the Baltimore Sun.
Under Monken, Jackson won two MVPs — he earned the undisputed AP MVP award in 2023 before taking the Pro Football Writers Association award in 2024 while Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills won the AP MVP.
But Monken became a free agent when the Ravens fired longtime head coach John Harbaugh in January. He was named Browns head coach, his first NFL head-coaching position, Jan. 28.
Todd Monken: ‘We are Going to Blitz’ Lamar Jackson
GettyTodd Monken was fired by the Baltimore Ravens along with former coach John Harbaugh in January.
The Browns-Ravens rivalry is smoldering, especially in Cleveland where the Ravens were born from the first Browns ideation. But it’s also been one-sided, since the Ravens boast a 39-15 head-to-head record against the Browns and have won three straight.
But Monken is hoping to change that, and he warned Jackson of what was coming when the QB sent his former OC a congratulatory text after being named Browns coach.
“We are going to blitz you every third down,” Monken told the Baltimore Sun. “He laughed.”
Jackson and the Ravens will go into Cleveland to face Monken and the Browns in Week 6 in a battle of rookie head coaches. The Ravens, of course, replaced Harbaugh with Jesse Minter.
Baltimore has dropped three of its past five in Northeast Ohio, though the Browns expect to be a little less scary without two-time-defending Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
Garrett, of course, was dealt to the Los Angeles Rams on June 1.
Todd Monken: ‘It was Just Time’ to Leave Baltimore
GettyTodd Monken felt it was time to go from Baltimore
The Ravens, of course, had a number of memorable near-misses during Monken’s tenure in the Charm City. The home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game in 2023 was followed by a failed two-point conversion in Buffalo in 2024.
Last season was doomed by a missed field goal on the season’s final play in Pittsburgh, which set the chain of events that led to Monken ending up in Cleveland.
“It was just time [to go],” Monken said. “Everything has a shelf life.”
Monken took responsibility for the Ravens’ playoff losses, even though Jackson bore the brunt of criticism in their inability to get to the Super Bowl.
“I didn’t coach well enough,” Monken said again. “I didn’t get Lamar to play at his best when the best was needed.
“Ultimately, it’s a get-it-done business.”
Plus, even though Monken’s job is to make life impossible on his former QB, the veteran offensive coach still has high praise for Jackson.
“Lamar is a tremendous person,” Monken said. “I wouldn’t have this job without him.”
Browns HC Todd Monken Sends Warning to Lamar Jackson After Leaving Ravens