As it stands, there are eight head coaching jobs still open, but the New York Giants' job isn't one of them. They've been sitting pretty with John Harbaugh at the helm for days now so a wild coaching carousel hasn't affected them too much aside from complicating the assembly of his coaching staff,
The Giants' preferred OC candidate and expected frontrunner is ex-Ravens' OC Todd Monken, who is a close collaborator of Harbaugh's. However, Monken is receiving some head coaching interest this cycle, as he's set to conduct his second in-person interview with the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday.
Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken will interview with the Browns in-person Tuesday, per source. This is Monken’s second interview with the team.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 18, 2026
The 59-year-old has been one of the most sought-after candidates among OC-needy teams, but the belief was always that he would follow Harbaugh to New York. Not so fast, as he is one of four candidates set to conduct a second interview in Cleveland, meaning he's one of their top candidates.
Todd Monken is emerging as a favorite for the Browns' head coaching position
The main reason the Browns are interested in Monken is that he has coached there before. He was their offensive coordinator in 2019 under short-lived head coach (and ex-Giants assistant) Freddie Kitchens, but spent only a year there before joining Kirby Smart at Georgia.
Monken won two national championships during his time in Athens before leaving for Baltimore, where Lamar Jackson was named the NFL MVP in his first season as the play-caller. His play-calling came under scrutiny this year, and Harbaugh's loyalty to him cost him his job.
Several OC-needy teams expressed interest in hiring him, but only the Bucs spoke with him since he could just opt to work with Jaxson Dart. One of Harbaugh's biggest priorities as the new head coach of the G-Men has been to continue Dart's development, and adding Monken would do exactly that.
Perhaps the Giants would be better off just hiring a younger, more innovative mind to work with their young QB, but don't let Monken's age fool you: he knows how to run a creative offense. He brings a wealth of high-level play-calling experience, which is better for Dart than that of a rising candidate.
The Ole Miss product played so recklessly as a rookie that someone like Monken can help him utilize his mobility without as much injury risk. And with Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers set to return early next season, he'll have plenty of toys to work with.
In addition to their meeting with Monken, the Browns have also scheduled second interviews with Jaguars' OC Grant Udinski, former Dolphins' head coach Mike McDaniel, and current DC Jim Schwartz, but Jimmy Haslam has a golden opportunity to spoil the party in New York.