Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken on Thursday denied reports of an internal rift between he and Lamar Jackson—as well as between former coach John Harbaugh and other players—while taking accountability for Baltimore’s shortcomings in 2025.
“... You can't get all the credit when we do well, and just exonerate yourself from the blame when it doesn't go that way,” Monken said on the Ryan Ripken Show just days after Harbaugh’s firing. “That is so ridiculously out there, I can’t even live in that world. I can’t live in that world. I haven’t gotten to where I’m at living in that world. I haven’t. You know what? I didn’t coach Lamar well enough. I didn’t have as good a relationship as I could have.
Ravens OC Todd Monken spoke at length on the Ryan Ripken Show about owning mistakes.
— Sam Cohn (@samdcohn) January 9, 2026
Monken called his time in Baltimore a "great 3-year run. I'd do it again tomorrow." Here, he admitted he "didn't coach Lamar well enough. I didn't have as good of a relationship as I could've." pic.twitter.com/cRQjKqMoYR
“I didn’t do the things that we needed this year to win enough games to give ourselves a chance. And I believe that, I’m not just saying that because I’m on your show. And I'm gonna fight like hell to fix it. I’m gonna fight like hell for the next job I get, and I’m gonna root like hell for the Ravens.”
In the aftermath of Harbaugh’s firing, a report emerged from The Athletic that Monken had an “awkward dynamic” with Jackson, and that it was Harbaugh’s reluctance to part with Monken that played a role in the longtime Ravens coach’s dismissal. Plus, prior to Harbaugh’s dismissal, a column published in The Baltimore Sun depicted a disconnect between Jackson and Harbaugh.
"Lamar and I never had an issue I don't know where that comes from. I never saw lamar and coach Harbaugh not have a great relationship"
— Ryan Ripken (@ryanripkenshow) January 9, 2026
Former Ravens OC Todd Monken addressed the rumors surrounding his relationship with Lamar Jackson. pic.twitter.com/xgVaqsGvQD
“Lamar and I—to me—had a good relationship,” Monken said. “Could it have been better? Of course. I never—Lamar and I, never had an issue. I don't know where that comes from. I never saw Lamar and Coach Harbaugh not have a great relationship. I never saw that. I never saw Coach Harbaugh and any of our players not have a great relationship. Never. Not one time. So any of that would be news to me. But I don't know how people feel.”
Monken isn’t a likely bet to return as Baltimore’s play-caller in 2026, with Harbaugh gone. He currently has an interview with the division-rival Browns for the team’s head coaching vacancy.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Todd Monken Takes Ownership for Shortcomings of Lamar Jackson, Ravens.
