Mike Tomlin Reacts to Todd Monken's Foul-Mouthed Jab
The former Steelers coach, now an analyst, fires back good-naturedly after the Browns coach responded to his earlier criticism.
Mike Tomlin, in his first year as a TV analyst for NBC's 'Football Night in America,' has quickly found himself in a cross-promotional spat with Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken.
Tomlin, who stepped down after 19 seasons as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, made a critical remark about the Browns earlier in the season, stating, "In the words of my friend JuJu Smith-Schuster, 'the Browns is the Browns.'" This comment came after the Browns suffered a significant loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Monken, in his first year as the Browns' head coach, responded to Tomlin's jab following his team's 23-19 Week 2 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "Browns are gonna Browns – f--- that, OK?" Monken said in a post-game press conference. "The guys took that to heart."
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson backed his coach's sentiment, adding, "Monk said what he said. That's how we all feel."
When confronted with Monken's response live on air, Tomlin appeared amused. "I'm glad that I can still motivate although I'm not coaching anymore," Tomlin stated. "It's good to be heard. … You're welcome. You're welcome."
Monken, who previously served as offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, another AFC North rival, has just begun his tenure with the Browns. Tomlin, meanwhile, has embraced his transition to broadcasting, expressing his enthusiasm for staying connected to the game and its participants.
"I just thought it'd be a great way to stay connected to the game and the awesome people in it, players, coaches, executives, and excited about doing that on Sunday night and traveling to different venues and getting that feel for the environment," Tomlin said in April about his move to broadcasting. "And lastly, I just thought it'd be awesome to share insight with fellow football lovers. I love to talk football. And so that's just an exciting component for me."
Despite enjoying his new role, Tomlin has not entirely closed the door on a potential return to coaching. "It's certainly not a 32-team league for me, but I've also learned to never say never," he commented. "I love to coach. I love all the challenges of the profession. I love to be a part of growth and development of young people individually. I love the measurement of the seven-day cycle, but also have enjoyed, man, the last six months life on this other side that I had no idea about."