The Cleveland Browns' decision to fire Kevin Stefanski was met with controversy, but Atlanta Falcons fans aren't complaining about the opportunity to bring him in as their new head coach. And it feels sweeter knowing the Browns downgraded considerably by replacing Stefanski with Todd Monken.
The only key difference between the two is that the Browns are equipping Monken with the weapons they never gave Stefanski, but believe it or not, that isn't fueling an uglier breakup. It's all water under the bridge, as the 59-year-old sung the praises of his predecessor while appearing on 92.3 The Fan.
"Well first off, I have a ton of respect for Kevin Stefanski," Monken said. "He is a fantastic football coach. You don't get to be a head coach in the NFL and not be a fantastic football coach."
The former Georgia offensive coordinator didn't offer much insight into how he thinks Stefanski will fare in Atlanta, but he did say he thinks he is a fantastic football coach. And frankly, if he was a bad coach, he would have lasted way less time at the helm than the six seasons Cleveland offered him.
Todd Monken and Kevin Stefanski's ideals aren't as different as we think
It's nice to know that Monken has class and is willing to tip his cap to Stefanski, as Baker Mayfield (whom Stefanski actively coached for two seasons with the Browns) never offered him that same respect. Then again, I'd expect that from a seasoned NFL coach compared to the Bucs' man-child QB.
Following his praise for the two-time Coach of the Year, Monken dished on what his philosophy will be as Cleveland's head coach. And his stoic manner is eerily similar to that of Stefanski, as his words offered some things that Falcons (and Browns) fans will need to get used to with their own new coach.
"As much as I love winning, I hate losing. I despise crappy football...You look dumb as a coach when you put bad football on the field. You want it to look like what you want it to look like... That's the starting point, give yourself a chance. More games are lost than they're won"
Both Stefanski and Monken are no-nonsense, football-first coaches who don't care for distractions. All they care about is winning, and frankly, that's what the Falcons need. After the Raheem Morris drama, Atlanta needs a coach who isn't gonna get in his own way and be the reason they lose games.
As far as the coaching search goes, the Browns needed a fresh face in the building, so them and the Dirty Birds seem to be better off with Monken and Stefanski at the helm.
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