The Cleveland Browns have once again found themselves at the center of a coaching controversy, and former Browns linebacker and NFL legend Willie McGinest is sounding the alarm. Following the organization’s decision to hire Todd Monken as their new head coach—passing over the fan-favorite and player-endorsed defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz—McGinest took to The Coach JB Show with Big Smitty to pull back the curtain on what he describes as a “difficult” and “weird” hiring culture.

The move has reportedly left Jim Schwartz “pissed off,” a sentiment McGinest says is entirely justified. According to McGinest, Schwartz was the candidate the defensive players “loved” and believed was the right fit to finally lead the organization “over the hump.” Instead, the Browns went with Monken, a hire McGinest suggests came “out of nowhere” and may have more to do with the front office’s eccentric vetting process than football acumen.

McGinest didn’t hold back when describing the hurdles prospective coaches face in Cleveland. He detailed a process that feels more like an MIT entrance exam than a football interview, involving written tests that cover everything from complex math to the stock market. “You’ve got to be a whiz kid to pass the written test before you even talk about football,” McGinest exclaimed. “If I’m sitting in there and we’re talking about the stock market… I’m like, ‘Hey man, I’ll be right back,’ I’m hopping in my car and I’m out of there.” This “weirdo” criteria, he argues, is exactly why viable candidates are increasingly turning down interviews with the franchise.

A major point of contention for McGinest is the Browns’ continued reliance on “Moneyball” analytics. He argued that if the organization hasn’t won using heavy analytics yet, it’s time to return to traditional football structures. “They’ve got a whole division within the office about all that analytics and everything… if you haven’t won that way yet, it’s time to move on,” he said. He advocated for a return to a system where the GM, president, and “the best football minds” work together based on scouting and traditional coaching rather than data points on a spreadsheet.

The internal stress caused by these decisions is apparently visible even among the team’s biggest stars. McGinest pointed to Myles Garrett’s recent social media activity as a sign of the defensive anchor’s frustration. Garrett reportedly posted a meme of a stressed worker at Popeyes—a move McGinest interpreted as a silent cry for help from a player who has stayed loyal to the city but is being pushed to his limit by the front office’s direction. “Miles Garrett is ready to jump off the building,” McGinest joked, while seriously noting that the team is making it “so hard” for their best players to succeed.

While McGinest expressed respect for Browns GM Andrew Berry, he was firm in his belief that the system is currently producing “outdated” results. He described Todd Monken’s system as “kind of old school” and expressed doubt about what the new head coach truly brings to the table compared to a “new age” coordinator who could develop the quarterback and uplift the organization.

For a fan base as diehard and passionate as Cleveland’s—one that McGinest saw firsthand during his three years in the city—the stakes couldn’t be higher. He recalled a season where the team went 10-6 but missed the playoffs, noting that the fans were “ready to throw a parade.” This level of loyalty, he argues, deserves an organization that prioritizes “developing players” and “winning football games” over passing MIT-level tests.

As the Todd Monken era begins in Cleveland, the shadow of Jim Schwartz and the critiques of legends like Willie McGinest loom large. The message from the “real ones” is clear: it’s time for the Browns to stop acting like a tech startup and start acting like a football team. Whether the front office will listen to the voices in the locker room or double down on their analytics remains the biggest question in the AFC North.