The Browns may have missed out on landing John Harbaugh to the Giants, but they’re ready to swoop in and land the future Giants OC instead. The Haslams aren’t backing down, pushing hard in their search for a head coach. Reports now suggest that the Browns and the Giants are eyeing the same candidate again, and this one could truly disrupt the NY’s staff plans.​

“Todd Monken is interviewing for the Cleveland job on Tuesday, I believe,” Peter Schrager of ESPN revealed on Bill Simmons’ podcast on the January 16th episode. “It might be the Cleveland Browns head coach. So slow down with who’s going to be the coordinator.”

According to reports, Cleveland made a big coaching decision by choosing to request the permission to interview Todd Monken for a second time in January, following their initial session on January 6. If Monken lands the head coaching job, it will certainly hurt the Giants’ plans, as it will be his second tenure at Cleveland.

Todd Monken checks almost every box Cleveland could want in an offensive coordinator, and familiarity is a big one. He has already been in the Browns building, calling plays during the 2019 season under Freddie Kitchens. Add that to nearly four decades of coaching experience, spanning college and the NFL, and Monken brings both adaptability and stability. His recent success as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator since 2023 only strengthens the case.

Beyond Cleveland, Monken served as the head coach at Southern Mississippi for three years and led them to a 9-5 bowl season in 2015. With a respectable defense in 2025, the Browns’ offense desperately needs revival after ranking 31st in points (16.4 per game) and 30th in yards (262.1).

Monken was reportedly a top target to join Harbaugh in New York due to their close past connection, but the Browns are reeling him in with a second interview push. For the Giants, though, options at offensive coordinator sit within the organization, softening the blow if Monken slips away.

Giants may stick with Mike Kafka over Todd Monken

After scraping two wins in his final two games of the 2025 season, there were always going to be doubts over interim head coach Mike Kafka becoming permanent. But before Daboll left the building, he’d done an impressive job as an OC to bring out the best in their rookie quarterback. Later, Schrager also hinted at Mike Kafka filling the Giants’ offensive coordinator spot under new head coach Harbaugh.

“Mike Kafka, who was the interim coach and the offensive coordinator last year. I got it from pretty good people. He’s still in the mix as an offensive coordinator for the Giants,” Schrager added.

Kafka’s 2025 interim stint with the Giants showed promise in spots, as he stepped in after Brian Daboll’s exit. Keeping Kafka as offensive coordinator ties heavily to Jaxon Dart, the quarterback entering his second year next season.

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“[Mike Kafka] still might be the OC because [Jaxson] Dart actually showed a lot of flashes with him,” Schrager pointed out.

Under Kafka, Dart posted a 2-3 record compared to 2-5 under Brian Daboll, with completion rates topping 70% in two games. Despite that, Dart’s rushing game dipped low with Kafka. In the final five games, he had just two rushing touchdowns.

For the Giants, the risk is real but manageable. With Mike Kafka waiting in the wings and a young quarterback still developing, New York has options. Cleveland, however, has a better position to offer. That edge could be the deciding factor that finally pulls Monken away.