With coach John Harbaugh gone from Baltimore, it’s just a matter of time before Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken makes his own exit, too.
Appearing Thursday on The Ryan Ripken Show, Monken was candid about the things that didn’t work during his three years with the team.
“I didn’t coach Lamar well enough,” Monken said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “I didn’t have as good of a relationship as I could have. I didn’t do the things we needed to do this year to win enough games to give ourselves a chance. I believe that.”
Monken made it clear that the relationship with Jackson wasn’t a bad one.
“Lamar and I, to me, had a good relationship,” Monken said. “Could it have been better? Of course. Lamar and I never had an issue.”
In their first year together, Jackson won his second NFL MVP award. Last year, he finished second in the voting to Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
“I really wish Lamar would have been healthy and seen what we kept building on,” Monken said. “Where we went from ’23 to ’24, and then we just never got it going. That’s what you have to live with.”
As to the idea that Harbaugh had lost the locker room (which some have been pushing), Monken pushed back.
“I never saw Lamar and Coach Harbaugh not have a great relationship,” Monken said. “I never saw that. I never saw Coach Harbaugh and any of our players not have a great relationship. Never. Not one time.”
Whatever the reason(s), owner Steve Bisciotti decided it was time to make a change. The new coach and offensive coordinator will have to find a way to get more from Jackson — assuming Jackson returns.
Depending on whom the Ravens hire, it’s still possible Jackson will decide that the fresh start in Baltimore should include him, too.
