{"time":1768144166111,"blocks":[{"id":"mk33d4sv","type":"video","data":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/23ce95d9-1176-43b9-825c-7b127d0f8234/mp4","caption":"","autoplay":false,"controls":true,"muted":false,"stretched":true,"width":0,"height":0,"image":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/23ce95d9-1176-43b9-825c-7b127d0f8234/thumbnail"},"cdn":{"videoId":"23ce95d9-1176-43b9-825c-7b127d0f8234","libraryId":"372172","collectionId":"30032062-eefd-4041-a355-12ad05bc987b","cdnBaseUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net","mp4Url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/23ce95d9-1176-43b9-825c-7b127d0f8234/mp4","thumbnailUrl":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/23ce95d9-1176-43b9-825c-7b127d0f8234/thumbnail","previewAnimationUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net/23ce95d9-1176-43b9-825c-7b127d0f8234/preview.webp"}}},{"id":"I_yV59i-4T","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The search is officially on for the Cleveland Browns to identify their next head coach. After a 5-12 season in 2025, the franchise parted ways with head coach Kevin Stefanski after serving six years in the role. "}},{"id":"aKIi9P_oX6","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"As executive vice president of football operations and general manager Andrew Berry remains, he's now tasked with overseeing Cleveland's search for a new head coach. As Berry explained in the aftermath of Stefanski's dismissal, his focus is \"on identifying and finding the leader and partner to bring along this young team, as well as the young players that we're going to add in the next several months.\" "}},{"id":"QuCLNmZ57j","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"There are a number of directions this could obviously go. The Browns could look to replace Stefanski's with another well respected offensive mind, who can transform the offense from one of the worst in football and finally find a franchise QB. "}},{"id":"r_gJeYYu4-","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"On the other hand, they could lean into what they do best and hire a defensive-minded coach, who will already be set up for success with one of the game's best units. There are also likely to be both internal and external options considered as this process plays out over the next few weeks. "}},{"id":"xNSpEg45hC","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Here are some important notes about the recently tweaked hiring cycle rules across the NFL"}},{"id":"w-qWiu80D7","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"- Teams can make interview requests with potential coaching candidates starting the week of Jan. 5, and teams can interview candidates on teams who aren't playing in the wild-card round beginning Tuesday (in the case of the four teams playing Saturday night) and Wednesday (for everyone else playing Sunday). "}},{"id":"v6HKSEa5Vh","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"- For the two playoff teams on a bye this week, their assistants can hold virtual interviews this week"}},{"id":"Hev-xav41S","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"- Any interviews with currently employed coaches can only be virtual up until Jan. 19, except for candidates who aren't currently employed (so for example, Kevin Stefanski can interview in person because he's no longer employed)"}},{"id":"tG0AbSIm04","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"- In-person interviews can officially begin for employed coaches on Jan. 19, except for coaches on team's still playing for a conference championship, while second in-person interviews can't take place until Jan. 26, which is also when coaches on those respective playoff teams can also interview. "}},{"id":"nuGo8FGopb","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"- Coaches on the Super Bowl teams are allowed to be interviewed through Feb. 1 but are forbidden from talking to other teams after that until Feb. 9, the day after the Super Bowl"}},{"id":"us6jObO_b1","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"- Teams must fulfill the Rooney Rule by interviewing at least two in-person interview with at least two external diverse — minority and/or female — candidates for any GM or head coaching position"}},{"id":"2pWWxoFYjo","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Keep track of every candidate the Browns are linked to with our official Browns head coach candidate tracker: "}},{"id":"VP0FarW0cQ","type":"header","data":{"text":"INTERVIEWS REQUESTED","level":1}},{"id":"ctap4zG3Jn","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Jesse Minter, Jan. 9, 2026: Minter became the latest addition to the Browns' candidate list, after spending the last two seasons as the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator. The 42-year-old has experience across the college and NFL ranks, particularly on Jim Harbaugh's staff. Prior to joining the Chargers, Minter served in the same role on Harbaugh's staff at Michigan from 2022-2023. He also spent time with John Harbaugh in Baltimore between 2017-2020. "}},{"id":"89ZeCkxCfM","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"John Harbaugh, Jan. 10, 2026: Reports indicate that the Browns are one of the handful of teams that have officially requested an interview with Harbaugh, who isn't expected to take interviews until next week. After 18 years with the Baltimore Ravens, his reputation proceeds him. Harbaugh is regarded as one of the best coaches in football and has interest from every team with a head coach opening so far. "}},{"id":"71M3ek0Ccd","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Mike McDaniel, Jan. 10, 2026: Tom Pelissero was the first to report that the Browns will interview the recently fired Dolphins head coach next week. Hailing from the Kyle Shanahan tree, McDaniel is considered one of the best offensive minds in football. During his first two years in Miami between 2022-2023, his offenses ranked top 10 and top five, respectively, in EPA, and top 11 and top 3 in points per game. "}},{"id":"NmExENBWB2","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Nate Scheelhasse, Jan. 11, 2026: Cleveland officially submitted a request to interview the Rams' passing game coordinator during wild-card weekend. He's the latest Sean McVay disciple to be gaining momentum in the NFL's coaching carousel, following a season where Los Angeles led the league in passing by averaging a whopping 269.6 yards per game. Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford also posted one of the best seasons of his career, throwing for a league best 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns. "}},{"id":"mCLYiKmL0n","type":"header","data":{"text":"CONFIRMED INTERVIEWS","level":1}},{"id":"Mdm4ouqGXN","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Tommy Rees, Jan. 8, 2026: Reports indicate that the Browns will interview current OC Tommy Rees for their vacant head coach role. Rees is a hot commodity in coaching circles both at the college level and the NFL, and nearly got the UNC job last offseason, before the school hired Bill Belichick. Rees joined Stefanski's staff in 2023 as a TE coach, but was promoted to OC this past season. He took over the play-calling from Stefanski in Week 10. "}},{"id":"zaxoNrBLCQ","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Jim Schwartz, Jan. 8, 2026: The Browns other internal candidate, and one who received several endorsements from players in the locker room, Schwartz is also expected to interview for the job during the first week of the hiring cycle. Schwartz has previous head coach experience after spending five years with the Detroit Lions from 2009-2013. On Monday, GM Andrew Berry stated that Schwartz had \"certainly earned the right for consideration.\" In his three years in Cleveland, Schwartz has transformed its defense into one of the best in football. "}},{"id":"fR5nS-wU3m","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Aden Durde, Jan. 9, 2026: Cleveland requested to interview Seahawks DC Aden Durde, while Seattle sits on a bye week in the first round of the playoffs. Durde has risen through the ranks over the last decade, getting his start with the Dallas Cowboys as a coaching intern from 2014-15. He's spent the last two seasons as the Seahawks DC. His unit was just outside the top 10 in total EPA in 2024 and ranks second this season. "}},{"id":"-Qa2kgeD2M","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Dan Pitcher, Jan. 9, 2026: The Browns put in a request to interview their rivals' OC for their head coach vacancy. Interestingly, Pitcher has experience on both the operations/personnel side, getting his start with the Colts as a scout in 2012, and the coaching side. He's spent the entire coaching part of his tenure in Cincinnati, starting out as an offensive assistant and climbing the ranks to OC in 2024. He and Berry overlapped in Indy from 2012-2015. "}},{"id":"wAuict8b6Z","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Todd Monken, Jan. 10, 2026: The Browns requested to interview \nBaltimore Ravens OC Todd 'Monken and he went through an initial interview on Jan. 10. The 59-year-old spent time in \nCleveland as the offensive coordinator on Freddie Kitchens' staff in \n2019. He joined John Harbaugh's staff in 2023 and helped turn the Ravens\n offense into one of the best in football. His unit ranked top 5 in \npoints per game in 2023 and 2024. This year it was just outside the top \n10, averaging 24.9 points per game. "}}],"version":"2.31.0"}

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