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Browns coach Todd Monken apologizes for being 'emotionally hijacked' by offense's penalties during training camp | Latest NFL News, Analysis & Updates | NFL.com

Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken apologized for losing his temper during training camp due to offensive penalties and mental mistakes, using it as a teaching moment for the team.

First seen Aug 12, 2026 · 1:01 PM UTC · last updated Aug 12 11:31 PM

Scoring Zone's Take

This news item is essentially noise for fantasy purposes — Todd Monken's sideline frustration over training camp penalties and mental mistakes is a coaching-culture story, not a personnel or depth-chart development. Neither source mentions snap counts, health, or role changes for Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson specifically, so there's nothing concrete here to shift either player's draft stock.

That said, the fact that offensive execution issues are prompting a public apology from the head coach is worth filing away as you monitor Cleveland's quarterback competition through the preseason. Watson remains the presumptive starter based on prior reporting, but a offense that's committing enough mental errors and penalties to draw this kind of reaction is one to watch for continued instability — instability that could open a door for Sanders or other camp arms if it persists. For draft prep purposes, treat both players as unchanged from your current valuations: Watson stays a low-end, upside-dependent QB2/streamer type given his recent injury history and this offense's uncertainty, while Sanders remains a deep-league stash/watch-list name with no standalone fantasy value until he's shown to be in line for real snaps.

Actionable takeaway: no add, drop, or trade moves are warranted off this report alone. Keep both players at their current draft tiers, but flag Cleveland's offensive line/execution issues as a storyline to track in subsequent camp and preseason reports, since further negative developments there could bleed into quarterback usage plans. Confidence in this "hold steady" read is high, since the sources are factual and consistent, but the fantasy relevance itself is minimal until a clearer starter or role signal emerges.

Browns coach Todd Monken apologizes for being 'emotionally hijacked' by offense's penalties during training camp

"The Insiders" take an enhanced look at the competition for the starting quarterback spot between Cleveland Browns quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders.

Cleveland Browns first-year head coach Todd Monken was so frustrated by his offense’s lack of discipline with pre-snap penalties that he whipped his radio and, after a brief talk, kicked his players off the field.

"Well, unfortunately we sent them back with their head coach being emotionally hijacked, which isn't a good thing," he said Tuesday, via the Akron Beacon Journal. "And I told them this morning that can't happen. I should have just gone to a different cadence. Let's let us play out the drill. I was obviously frustrated. So again, we're never too old to learn, right? Keep processing, getting better. And so that's one thing we sent him home with."

On Monday, the Browns were closing out practice with two-minute drill scenarios. The first team, run by Shedeur Sanders, was plagued with pre-snap penalties. Monken booted the unit, turning things over to Deshaun Watson and the second-teamers. That group fared no better, allowing a sack, an illegal formation and a false start.

That set off Monken, a long-time assistant in his first time in the head-coaching chair, who whipped his radio toward a nearby wall. Given Monken’s focus on details during his first camp, the overflowing of frustration by consistent mental miscues is understandable. It’s one thing for players to make physical mistakes. It’s wholly another to deal with fixable mental mistakes. Those are under every player’s control.

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Monken used his own blow-up as a teaching point to his team, apologizing for not being more level-headed.

"I told them that in that moment, what I should have done and what I didn't do," he said. "And I've said to them and us, I mean, we're human. I got fired up. I was pissed. And that was awful. That was s----- football. And that is going to get me fired up. And I have to own some of that."

The 60-year-old then shouldered the blame for the struggles.

"Obviously, we haven't coached it well enough," Monken said. "There were other aspects about the two-minute that got me fired up that obviously were a reflection of coaching. I mean, those things, we're getting plenty of effort. You guys are fighting the rear ends off, we're tough. So we got that. OK. Well, how are we going to do the little things well? And that's coaching. That's me, and that's our staff."

Coverage from Nfl Dot Com News · by Kevin Patra · Aug 12, 2026 · read original