The Cleveland Browns endured a brutal afternoon against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Todd Monken's decision to keep Deshaun Watson under center, though, revealed something about his approach to developing the offense. Despite watching his quarterback absorb eight sacks in Sunday's embarrassing 27-6 defeat, the first-year head coach never seriously considered pulling him. Rather than turning to Shedeur Sanders, Monken wanted Watson to battle through adversity. Monken also accepted responsibility for the offensive breakdown.
Through the first eight weeks of the 2026 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns have lived on a chaotic, razor-thin edge under first-year head coach Todd Monken. They have now compiled a 5-3 record that has showcased both incredible late-game resilience and glaring structural vulnerabilities. After bottoming out in a demoralizing 34-10 opening-day blowout in Jacksonville, Cleveland vaulted into playoff contention with five fourth-quarter comeback victories. Those were headlined by three walk-off field goals from Andre Szmyt against Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Tennessee. However, their magic met a harsh reality check in Week 8 at Acrisure Stadium. This loss dropped Cleveland behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North.
#Browns Todd Monken never considered taking Deshaun Watson out when the #Steelers were teeing off on him in the second half: pic.twitter.com/v9R6dqEzOd
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 1, 2026
According to Scott Petrak of The Chronicle-Telegram, Monken wanted Watson to accumulate more playing experience rather than remove him following the mounting pressure.
“I want to see him play. I want to see him continue to play and battle,” Monken explained. He also refused to blame Watson alone, taking responsibility for the team's preparation, offensive execution, and composure.
Article Continues Below“Everything starts with me,” Monken said, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
The coach acknowledged that Cleveland must improve how it operates offensively and prepares as a team. With the Browns still sitting at 5-3, Monken clearly believes Watson needs opportunities to work through adversity rather than another quarterback change.