Some greeted a photo of Monken missing a cut with comments suggesting that such a thing could only happen with the Browns, a downtrodden franchise that is consistently perceived as always stepping in the mud.
The first-year head coach was asked how he plans to change that decades-old perception.
“Winning. That changes everything, right?” Monken said. “Winning changes everything, right? I told the coaches that the other day, didn’t I? Or playing well. How does a player stop the narrative? Play well. How do we stop the narrative offensively? Score. How do you stop the narrative of not winning? Win. It’s pretty darn simple, right?
“I mean, isn’t that in life in general, right? There’s a narrative out there that you’re not a good husband. Well, change. Be a good husband, right? All that’s part of it, right? Change the narrative. Be. That’s what we have to do. It’s very simple.”
Since returning to the NFL in 1999, the Browns have made three playoff appearances. Cleveland has finished last in the AFC North in three of the last four seasons and has had two winning seasons in the past 18 years. That’s the terrifying story Monken sets out to change. It’s easier said than done, but at least the new coach will try to right the ship with a sweet haircut.