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Todd Monken shouldered the blame for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ offensive struggles in his third year calling plays in Baltimore.
“I didn’t coach Lamar well enough,” Monken admitted Thursday during his appearance on the “Ryan Ripken Show.” “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.”
With John Harbaugh fired on Tuesday, Monken isn’t likely to return as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator next season. The Ravens are just beginning their search for a new head coach.
The offense took a major step backward in 2025 – finishing 16th in the NFL despite returning almost every starter from the previous season. It’s a far cry from 2024, when Monken helped the Ravens claim the top offensive ranking in franchise history for the first time ever.
Jackson’s health clearly played a role in the offensive regression. He battled hamstring, back, knee, ankle and toe injuries throughout the season, missing four complete games and failing to finish two others.
“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.”
Despite rumors suggesting tension between the coordinator and quarterback, Monken painted a different picture of their working relationship.
The partnership had been incredibly productive.
Under Monken’s guidance, Jackson secured his second NFL MVP award in 2023 and followed it with his best statistical campaign in 2024 – throwing for 41 touchdowns against just 4 interceptions.
“Lamar and I, to me, had a good relationship,” the coordinator explained. “Could it have been better? Of course. Lamar and I never had an issue.”
Monken also defended Harbaugh against suggestions that the coach had lost control of the locker room. He described Harbaugh as “the best at motivating and directing in keeping a team moving in a certain direction.”
“I never saw Lamar and Coach Harbaugh not have a great relationship. I never saw that,” he insisted. “I never saw Coach Harbaugh and any of our players not have a great relationship. Never. Not one time.”
When reflecting on his time in Baltimore, Monken pointed to one game that still haunts him – the 17-10 loss to Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game two seasons ago. The Ravens called just 10 designed runs in that contest (the second-fewest in Harbaugh’s 16-year tenure) against a Chiefs defense that ranked only 18th against the run.
“I will always remember the Chiefs game, and that will be one that I will have to live with forever because you only get so many opportunities,” Monken admitted. “I don’t let it haunt [me]. I just won’t ever forget it.”
