Todd Monken is not losing sleep over the internet trolls. TheCleveland Browns head coach had a rocky start to his tenure after missing the annual group photo.
Monken found himself as the lone absentee when the league’s 32 coaches gathered for their traditional portrait in Phoenix. He blamed a sudden schedule change for the mishap.
Todd Monken
Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The coach was busy getting a fresh trim when the meeting moved up. He expected the photo at noon but arrived to find the session already finished.
“I really don’t give a sh-t,” Monkensaid during the second day of Cleveland’s offseason program. “I mean, it had nothing to do with me.”
Here’s the exchange. Btw, the cut still looks fresh, coach. https://t.co/Qdrd0T2HIE pic.twitter.com/ITZjqPfaS4
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) April 8, 2026
Monken expressed genuine frustration about missing the milestone. Having coached since 1989, this was his first opportunity to stand among the NFL’s elite head coaching circle.
“Waited my whole life to be a head coach, and I’m not in the head coaches’ picture?” Monken said. “Bet your a– it was disappointing.”
He even bumped into Jaguars coach Liam Coen after the appointment. Coen delivered the news that the cameras had already stopped rolling before Monken could arrive.
While Rams coach Sean McVay also missed the shoot, Monken took the brunt of the heat. Fans mocked the rookie head coach for prioritizing his barber.
Monken suggested the league could have used technology to fix the error. He wondered why artificial intelligence could not simply insert him into the empty space.
The coach is now shifting his focus toward fixing a broken offense. Cleveland finished near the bottom of the league in offensive production during the 2025 season.
Todd Monken sets tone for Browns offseason workouts
The Browns opened their voluntary program Tuesday at the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Monken replaced Kevin Stefanski after the team struggled through an inconsistent and underwhelming campaign.
Monken previously coordinated a Baltimore Ravens offense that consistently outpaced Cleveland. He expects his new roster to embrace a culture of continuous improvement.
“We’re in the development business and the winning business, point blank period,” Monken said. “Everything we do is the development of players.”
The team will transition through three specific phases this spring. This includes a voluntary minicamp from April 21 to April 23 and rookie sessions in May.
Players will eventually participate in ten days of organized team activities. The program concludes with a mandatory 3-day minicamp starting on June 9.
Monken wants his players to feel the value of being in the building. He believes the organization must provide development that athletes cannot find anywhere else.