Todd Monken defends his relationship with Baltimore's quarterback while reflecting on the season's disappointments in an interview,
Ravens coach John Harbaugh, right, walks off the field with offensive coordinator Todd Monken after a win over the Dolphins on Dec. 31. Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken didn’t sugarcoat anything.
He had a blunt assessment of Baltimore’s 2025 season: It was a collective failure.“The bottom line was it was all of us,” Monken said. “At the end of the day, it wasn’t good enough. But I can tell you this, it wasn’t from a lack of — from our players, in terms of the effort they gave every day or staff.” Monken dismissed “outside noise” and “leaked” narratives about tension between players and coaches, calling them overblown — and, in some cases, driven by what draws attention. He said that storylines that frame situations as either “elite” or “effed up” often win out for clicks, even though frustration inside a locker room is inevitable over the course of a season.He said that he never witnessed issues between quarterback Lamar Jackson and Harbaugh, or between Harbaugh and the rest of the roster, describing those reports as “news to me.” Monken also denied reports of a rift between himself and Jackson. “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. I don’t know where that comes from.”Monken said that he believed that the organization was positioned for a simple “reset” rather than sweeping change. In his view, the Ravens weren’t far from contending, even if the season never matched the lofty Super Bowl expectations. He pointed to underlying efficiency metrics: Baltimore finished first in rushing yards per play and seventh in points per play. He saw a team that was “closer than it would appear.” Part of the frustration, Monken said, is what comes with the job at the NFL’s highest level. He recalled a message from a friend in the business after he and the staff were let go: “Not many jobs are paid $3-plus-million a year let you get away with little or no pressure headaches,” Monken read. “Unfortunately, they make you earn it.” Monken said that Baltimore started the season playing “really well” offensively. The team averaged 32.8 points in the first four games. When Jackson missed three games with a hamstring injury in October, is when Monken felt that the unit “really was never the same” until late in the year. Even then, he said, the Ravens never consistently “fired on all cylinders,” citing issues finishing drives and converting in the red zone and on third down. The Ravens averaged 22.5 points over their final 13 games and finished with the league’s fifth-worst red-zone touchdown percentage. While Monken, who just completed his third season with the team, has not been formally dismissed by the Ravens, he spoke as if his tenure in Baltimoreis over — which typically occurs with a head coaching change.Monken also pushed back on the idea that coaching messages “got stale,” calling Harbaugh one of the best leaders he’s worked with. He praised Harbaugh’s consistency and preparation — including what Monken described as Harbaugh’s daily routine of arriving early and working out — and said that Harbaugh has a rare ability to confront issues that get in the way of winning without making it personal or divisive. “He’s the same every day,” Monken said. “His message and his consistency and his ability to confront anything that gets in the way of winning football … is unique.” Ravens offensive coordinator said the offense, led by Lamar Jackson, started the season playing 'really well; offensively. The team averaged 32.8 points in the first four games. Kylee Surike | Special to PennLiveMonken called the notion that Harbaugh’s message stopped resonating after 18 years “an easy cop-out,” saying that the accountability falls on everyone when a team falls short of its goals. Monken closed by reflecting on his time in Baltimore, pointing to a high point and a low point that still stick with him. He cited a late-2023 season win over Miami in his first year, a game that clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed and led to a moment of celebration on the field, as one of his favorites.“I wish I would have called it better,” Monken said. “Wish I would have trusted the run game better. Wish I would have put us in a better position.” Unfortunately for Monken, it was the closest the Ravens have come to a Super Bowl in the Lamar Jackson era. The loss, another postseason stumble in Buffalothe following year, and a season that ended without a playoff berth combined to accelerate the changes the organization made earlier this week.Asha Pratt’s fourth quarter pushes Mechanicsburg girls basketball past Mifflin County
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