Still getting his feet wet, Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken has been adding defensive assistants. And he settled on an offensive coordinator. Furthermore, Monken added a 75-year-old coaching legend to his staff, according to a post on X by Jeremy Fowler.
“The Browns are adding longtime NFL coach Dom Capers to the coaching staff as a senior defensive assistant, per sources. Capers, 75, a two-time head coach, was last with the Carolina Panthers.”
It’s an interesting move for Monken, who is 60 years old himself.
Browns add experience to staff with Dom Capers
It’s not Capers’ first rodeo. He has been an NFL coach since 1986. His titles have ranged across the assistant spectrum.
As a head coach, Capers led the Panthers from 1995-98. His 1996 team went 12-4. They also ended the Dallas dynasty. The Cowboys won the Super Bowl in 1992, 1993, and 1995.
But in the 1996 playoffs, Capers' team had things go their way. The Panthers harassed Troy Aikman into 18 of 36 pass attempts for 165 yards and three interceptions. The playmaker? Yeah, Michael Irvin totaled one catch for 22 yards. But, it should be noted that Irvin suffered an injury on that early game catch and missed the rest of the contest.
The Panthers went on to earn a 26-17 win. However, they were blown out by the Packers, 30-13, in the NFC Championship. Capers lasted two more years with the Panthers.
Capers took over as head coach of the Houston Texans in 2002. His record over four seasons was 18-46.
Despite the addition of the veteran coach, the Browns aren’t expected to get much done in 2026. Draftkings Sportsbook doesn’t expect a high total of wins, according to a post on X by Daniel Oyefusi.
DraftKings Sportsbook has set the Browns’ 2026 win total at 6.5. Since 2002, when the Browns’ win total is 6.5 or higher, they have gone under it 12 times and over it four times, per ESPN Research.
Certainly, Monken has his work cut out. He will have to decide on the team's direction at quarterback. And that decision could make or break his tenure with the Browns.
