Browns HC Todd Monken fires back at Mike Tomlin after Week 2 win

Tomlin took it in stride and got a laugh out of Monken's response, saying he is glad he still has the ability to motivate even after stepping away from coaching.

The original comment was a reference to a line from Smith-Schuster in the lead-up to the Steelers-Browns playoff game during the 2020 season. That is where Smith-Schuster originally made the "Browns is the Browns" comment, dismissing the challenge of playing one of the NFL's most consistently bad teams. 

The Browns ended up winning the playoff game in a rout. 

In the end, nobody here is wrong, and this is just part of what makes the NFL entertaining. 

Tomlin's job is to give perspective and entertain. He did. 

Monken's job is to motivate his players and try to change the culture and identity of a team that has been the least successful franchise in the league for nearly three decades. In this instance, he did. 

Monken should have his team's back, and he should have a chip on his shoulder. That is what the fans in Cleveland want to see, and it is something the Browns need. Will it translate into long-term results and success? Impossible to say at this point. It is Week 2 of the season and two games into Monken's tenure. But at least there is a little bit of juice there. That is more than previous Browns head coaches could say.