Todd Monken Was Caught Flirting With Female Ref On The Sideline – Had Her Blushing On TNF [VIDEO]

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Todd Monken has had plenty to smile about in his first season as Browns head coach. The former Ravens offensive coordinator was in a relaxed mood on the sideline after Cleveland built a lead over Pittsburgh on Thursday Night Football.

That mood showed up in an unexpected way as the night went on.

Cameras caught Monken chatting up one of the game’s officials during a break in the action. The two stood close together near the Browns bench. Monken was clearly mid-story, and whatever he said landed well. The Browns were up 21-7, with Cleveland facing second-and-10 in the second quarter, putting the moment squarely in the middle of a comfortable night for the home team.

The official could not keep a straight face. Broadcast cameras showed her breaking into laughter as Monken kept talking. She visibly struggled to hold her composure while still on the clock. The moment lasted only a few seconds, yet it was enough to catch viewers’ attention.

Todd Monken Has Already Provided Some Memorable Moments

Cleveland took control of the game after conceding the night’s first score. They had gone up by two TDs by the time the ref got rizzed up on the sideline.

Monken has shown a lighter side before. He missed the NFL’s annual coaches photo earlier this year because he had to get a haircut. The mishap became its own small viral moment at the time.

This marks a change of pace from some of Monken’s more intense sideline moments this season. He was openly frustrated with his quarterback room at times during camp, notably calling their performance “embarrassing” after a rough stretch of practice. Thursday’s lead clearly put him in a different headspace.

Officials Rarely Get This Kind Of Spotlight During Games

NFL officials typically stay out of the broadcast narrative unless a call goes wrong. Moments like this one are a rare exception. They give fans a lighter look at the people running the game.

We’ll probably never know what Monken said that caused her to giggle uncontrollably. Given how well things were going for his team, it’s easy to see why he had jokes to spare. Cleveland hopes to carry that same energy forward, both on the field and off it.

But the Steelers were clawing their way back and were 21-16 with under eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter at the time of writing. Monken is probably not as comfortable as he was in the second.