Browns HC Todd Monken couldn’t help but send Cleveland fans a sincere message after beating the Titans
Browns fans made a statement in Week 7 against the Titans and they certainly got the attention of Todd Monken in the process.
The Cleveland Browns are 5-2 through seven games of the 2026 NFL season, and they are well ahead of where most people expected them to be. Cleveland keeps finding ways to win close games, and its latest victory came on the road against the Tennessee Titans.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson has now orchestrated five game-winning drives this season. The Browns got good play from both the offense and defense for much of the game against Tennessee. Still, one of the biggest boosts came from the stands.
Todd Monken credits Browns fans after win over the Titans
Browns coach Todd Monken had more than the game plan on his mind after the win. He went out of his way to recognize the people who made the trip to Nashville.
“…[Y]ou’ve got to have a shout-out for our crowd. How about all the Browns fans, for God’s sake? It felt like our side of the stands were all Browns fans, am I wrong? It just felt like our side was all Browns fans.
“That was so cool. That was so cool. I mean that helped. That was critically important in terms of getting us through the beginning of the game when we weren’t playing nearly as well. That was awesome.”
The Browns didn’t come out of the gates playing their best football. Monken knows it, and he gave the traveling fans credit for keeping Cleveland afloat until the team settled in.
Part of the reason Browns fans showed up in big numbers is that Nashville is a destination city. The other part is that the Titans are a bad football team. Tennessee has won one game this season, and there aren’t many wins left on its schedule. The Titans’ own fans aren’t showing up heavily, so opposing fan bases often fill their stadium. Browns fans did exactly that, and their coach made sure to commend them for it.
Monken has the Browns ahead of schedule
Monken is 5-2 through his first seven games as a head coach. Cleveland has already matched its win total from a year ago, and there are still 10 games left to play.
At this point, Monken has to be in the running for Coach of the Year. The Browns have shown a knack for closing out tight games, and that speaks to the culture he’s building in his first season. Five game-winning drives in seven games is quite the mark considering where they were a year ago.
Comments like the ones he made after the Titans win are going to keep Monken in Browns fans’ good graces. He’s easy to root for, and he’s giving the fan base plenty of reasons to buy in early. Additionally, acknowledging the crowd the way he did shows Monken understands how much this team means to the city of Cleveland.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier from here. Cleveland goes on the road to face AFC North rival Pittsburgh in Week 8.
That game gives the Browns a chance to make a major statement. A win would complete a season sweep of the Steelers, something Cleveland hasn’t done since 1988. Winning in Pittsburgh is never simple, but this Browns team has shown it can handle tough spots late in games.
If the Browns pull it off, the conversation around this team is going to change in a hurry. Going 6-2 with a sweep of Pittsburgh would put Cleveland firmly in the AFC North mix.
