Multiple reporters on the Browns beat noted how the end of Monday’s practice was sloppy, with head coach Todd Monken becoming animated over the offense’s pre-snap penalties and inability to execute the operation.
On multiple occasions since getting the Cleveland job this offseason, Monken has explained how he hates “shitty football” — instances where the team is not functioning with operational issues that are controllable. That was at the heart of his reaction on Monday, which he explained in his Tuesday press conference, saying he got “emotionally hijacked.”
“I said it to the offense. I said it to those guys. I told them that in that moment, what I should’ve done, and what I didn’t do,” Monken said. “And as I’ve said to them and us, we’re human. I got fired up. I was pissed. That was awful. That was shitty football. And that is going to get me fired up. And I have to own some of that. Obviously, we haven’t coached it well enough. There were other aspects about the two-minute that got me fired up that obviously [were] a reflection of coaching.
“Those things — we’re getting plenty of effort. Guys are fighting their rear end off. We’re tough. So, we’ve got that, OK. How are we going to do the little things well? And that’s coaching. That’s me, and that’s our staff.”
Monken, however, also said that he really liked the rest of Monday’s session, particularly considering it came after an off day.
“That part of it, really, I was jacked about the way our team practiced,” Monken said. “Coming off of six days, one day off, and how they attacked it yesterday. I mean, you couldn’t have asked for better energy, attitude, body language — it just wasn’t good at the end for one side. But up until that point, I thought our guys practiced their rear ends off, and I thought it was outstanding for having a day off the day before.”
Monken and the Browns will have their first preseason game against the Bears in Chicago on Saturday afternoon.
