The Cleveland Browns' ugly 34-10 season-opening loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars left plenty of ammunition for critics, and former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin wasted no time taking a shot. During NBC's "Sunday Night Football" broadcast, Tomlin — now a studio analyst — channeled his old friend JuJu Smith-Schuster's infamous line: "The Browns is the Browns."
But Browns head coach Todd Monken wasn't having it. Firing back during Monday's video conference, Monken acknowledged the team's dismal performance but rejected the notion that this is simply who the franchise is.
"Well, again, everybody's afforded their opinions. That's what you do when you go from coaching to television," Monken said, taking a subtle dig at Tomlin's new gig. "We have to own that. We have to own that. We didn't play very well. I don't see it that way, Browns being Browns. I don't see it that way. Every week is different, every team is different. We just didn't play well. That's one week. That's not Browns being Browns, that's Browns being poorly on one week."
Monken's retort highlights a broader frustration within the organization. The Browns have been the punchline of the NFL for decades, and Tomlin's comment — delivered with a smirk — was just the latest reminder. But Monken insists the label is unfair, at least based on a single game.
"So, again, everybody's afforded their opinion," Monken continued. "And the only way to change people's opinion is to play better. That's a fact. … We have to play better. We have to coach better, and we have to play better."
Monken's right about that. The Browns were outplayed in every phase against the Jaguars, and the off-field distractions haven't helped. But he's also fighting an uphill battle against a reputation that's been earned over decades — the franchise has posted just five winning seasons since 1990.
Still, Monken's pushback signals he's not content to accept the narrative. And with a Week 2 matchup against Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looming, there's a chance to flip the script. Mayfield, the former Browns quarterback, has already added fuel to the fire, saying there's "history there" ahead of the clash. That game could offer Cleveland a chance to prove that Week 1 was an anomaly, not a preview.
Tomlin, meanwhile, has been a polarizing figure in his new broadcasting role, even drawing criticism for his takes on other quarterbacks. But Monken's jab about the transition from coaching to TV was a reminder that the sideline-to-booth shift comes with a new set of expectations.
For now, Monken's focus is on fixing what went wrong. "We have to play better. We have to coach better," he repeated. The Browns know the noise won't stop until they start winning. And with quarterback questions swirling, the pressure is on to deliver a response on the field.
As Monken put it, actions speak louder than words. The Browns have a chance to silence the critics — or prove Tomlin right.
