Todd Monken: It’s “unfortunate” the NFL hiring cycle has coaches interview during playoffs

Todd Monken is the Ravens’ offensive coordinator, preparing to face the Bills in the divisional playoffs on Sunday. He’s also a head-coaching candidate, interviewing with multiple teams this week. He acknowledges that’s not ideal.

Monken told reporters he wishes there were some different setup for the timing of coaching interviews so there would be no conflicts, but he said his primary focus this week is on Sunday’s game.

“The way the system is set up is unfortunate, but it is what it is,” Monken said. “I’m excited to play the Bills. That’s where my mind’s at.”

So what should the system be? Monken said he doesn’t think there’s necessarily a better option.

“I don’t think there’s an easy way, or they’d already be doing it,” Monken said. “It is what it is. It’s like trying to figure out things that they’ve been trying to figure it out. There’s no easy way. There’s no easy solution.”

Monken said that he spent time last offseason preparing for the possibility that he would get head-coaching interviews and that he has referred back to that work this week, rather than starting over on what his pitch would be to NFL teams.

“Any of the work I needed to do for any interviews I did during the offseason,” Monken said.

As long as the system is what it is, coaches in Monken’s position will have some conflicts during the playoffs. And Monken is right that it is unfortunate.