The NFL head coaching carousel has reached absolute madness, but Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is still standing on the platform. Despite garnering significant interest from three teams—the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Las Vegas Raiders—Monken was passed over as all three franchises made their hires.
With the Jaguars and Raiders head coaching jobs being filled, it’s increasingly looking like Todd Monken will remain in Baltimore as the OC. https://t.co/9muU6ohsuI
— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) January 24, 2025
It’s not hard to see why Monken became such a hot commodity in the first place. In just two seasons with the Ravens, he’s completely revamped their offense and unlocked new levels of pretty much everything for Lamar Jackson. By year two, the Ravens became the first team in league history to eclipse 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in the same season.
But Monken’s suitors moved on. The Bears snagged Ben Johnson, the offensive mind behind Detroit’s high-scoring unit. The Jaguars (after a wild interview process) opted for Liam Coen to pair with seemingly "I never run out of potential" Trevor Lawrence. And in one of the crazier moves of the cycle, the Raiders lured Pete Carroll out of an advisory role in Seattle to be the new coach of the Silver and Black
While it’s disappointing for Monken to be left out, it’s borderline best news imaginable for the Ravens.
Todd Monken coming back to Baltimore is a win-win
For the Ravens, Monken’s presumed return could be the best offseason move they didn’t even have to make. Lamar Jackson has thrived under Monken’s system, potentially winning his third MVP award, while setting career highs in passing yards, touchdowns, and passer rating.
Monken has also been instrumental in Henry’s resurgence. The veteran back rushed for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns in his first year in Baltimore, deservedly earning Offensive Player of the Year finalist honors.
With general manager Eric DeCosta and Derrick Henry both fully on board with "running it back," Monken's stay ensures the Ravens’ offense has the continuity it needs to build on last season's success. This will be Jackson’s third offseason working with Monken, and the second with Monken and Henry together.
With another year to fine-tune their attack, Baltimore's offense could be even more dangerous in 2025. That should be illegal.
It’s rare in today’s NFL for teams to keep a high-caliber coordinator like Monken for multiple years, but the Ravens apparently have that luxury. Pairing Monken’s creativity with DeCosta’s willingness to do anything and everything he can to keep this team competitive, things are looking sound in Baltimore.
While the Bears, Jaguars, and Raiders may think they’ve found their guys, missing out on Monken might just come back to haunt them. For Ravens fans, though, it’s rear-view mirror time—keep the past in the past and look forward to a new season filled with new opportunities. After all, anything is possible.
Year three of Monken and Jackson could be special, and the league should be on notice.