The Ravens and offensive coordinator Todd Monken are working toward a contract extension, according to multiple reports, after Monken guided the Ravens’ offense to historic levels this season.
Monken had been interviewed for two NFL head coaching jobs in the past couple of weeks, but he missed out on those and now it appears he will be back to guide the Ravens’ offense for a third straight season.
ESPN first reported that the team was finalizing an extension with Monken. The team has not made any official announcement.
Asked last week at the team’s season-ending news conference about Monken, head coach John Harbaugh said, “Todd Monken will be a great head coach. I’ll just say that. He’s a really good football coach. He’s an old-school football coach with kind of a new-school and creative mind.
“[He’s] always creating,” Harbaugh continued. “He works well with his staff. We have a great staff around him, so because of that, it would be very meaningful if and when we get him back.”
Monken, 58, drew considerable interest in this NFL head coaching cycle after leading the Ravens’ offense to historic levels. This season, the Ravens became the first team in NFL history to amass 3,000 rushing yards and 4,000 passing yards in the same season, and Lamar Jackson is considered the front-runner to be named the league’s Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row.
After the Ravens’ wild-card round win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monken interviewed virtually with both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears, but both those teams hired someone else. The Las Vegas Raiders had also asked permission to interview Monken, though they filled their coaching vacancy by hiring Pete Carroll.
Monken had lamented the fact that the NFL coaching cycle spins while some teams are still competing, but he said his focus remained solely on the Ravens’ upcoming playoff opponents even as his coaching interviews took place.
“I love the job I have, I really do,” Monken had said. “And I have a great job here.”
After beating the Steelers, the Ravens lost in the divisional round to the Buffalo Bills, 27-25.
The Ravens had finished the regular season with a 12-5 record and won the AFC North title for the second straight season. In addition to becoming the first team in NFL history to top 3,000 rushing and 4,000 passing yards in the same season, the Ravens’ offense under Monken finished No. 1 in total offense, No. 1 in rushing and No. 3 in scoring.
Running back Derrick Henry ran for 1,921 yards and set a Ravens franchise record with 16 rushing touchdowns. Wide receiver Zay Flowers finished with a career-high 1,059 receiving yards and became the first player in team history named to the Pro Bowl at wide receiver.
Monken had joined the Ravens in 2023 after the team parted ways with previous coordinator Greg Roman. Before joining the Ravens, Monken had served as offensive coordinator at the University of Georgia, helping the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships. He previously served as an NFL offensive coordinator with Tampa Bay (2016-2018) and Cleveland (2019).
Referencing the possibility of Monken returning for a third season, Harbaugh last week had said last, “I really am excited about 3.0, that iteration of this offense going forward.”
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