Todd Monken says it’s ‘unfair’ to put Browns struggles on Deshaun Watson

Todd Monken had a coaching debut to forget.

The Cleveland Browns rookie head coach faced quarterback questions all offseason long as Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders battled for the starting job. Watson eventually won out, getting the nod in Week 1 and taking his first regular season snaps since Oct. 20, 2024.

And Watson didn't make his head coach look good in a 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was intercepted once and sacked five times. Coming out of a preseason that was also uneven, many are already wondering if it's time for Sanders to step in.

Monken isn't ready to pull the plug yet. He told reporters after the game that Watson isn't the only problem.

“We’ll analyze everything that we do," Monken said. "It’s not just him. We’re putting this on Deshaun, which is unfair. Whatever there is externally, doesn’t matter to me. That doesn’t affect me. That has nothing to do with my decision making. My decision making is what’s best for the Browns now and moving forward.”

The coach was fiery during his media availability, disappointed with the outcome in Week 1. He noted that the inability to get a first down and get off…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/sports/