Latest On Browns’ Head-Coaching Search

Update:

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that no firm decision regarding the Browns’ head-coaching job is expected today, despite the fact that Patriots OC Josh McDaniels and his wife is in the building. 

Rapoport says the Browns are committed to their process and taking their time to arrive at a decision. 

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Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, citing two sources, reports that the Browns are planning to wrap up their head-coaching search on Friday and hope to hire their next head coach by tonight or tomorrow.

According to Volin, it appears as though the Browns are down to Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, Vikings OC Kevin Stefanski and Bills OC Brian Daboll. 

In total, the Browns will have interviewed eight candidates for the job including McDaniels, Stefanski, Daboll, Ravens OC Greg Roman, 49ers DC Robert Saleh, Mike McCarthy, Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy and Eagles DC Jim Schwartz.

Stefanski, 37, began his NFL coaching career as an operations intern with the Eagles back in 2005. He was later hired by the Vikings as an assistant to head coach a year later.

Stafanksi has held a number of positions including TEs coach, RBs coach and QBs coach before being promoted to the team’s interim offensive coordinator after they fired John DeFilippo during the season last year.

After interviewing for head-coaching jobs last January, Stafanksi returned to the Vikings and was hired as their full-time offensive coordinator. 

In 2019, the Vikings’ offense ranked No. 16 in total yards, No. 8 in points scored, No. 6 in rushing yards and No. 23 in passing yards.

McDaniels, 43, began his NFL coaching career with the Patriots as a personnel assistant back in 2001. He worked his way up to offensive coordinator in New England before he departed for the Broncos head-coaching job in 2009.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go very well for McDaniels with the Broncos and he was fired during his second year with the team. After a brief stint with the Rams as their offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, McDaniels returned to the Patriots and has been running their offense ever since.

McDaniels agreed to become the head coach of the Colts a few years ago before later backing out of the agreement to remain in New England. 

In 2019, the Patriots’ offense ranked No. 15 in total yards, No. 7 in points scored, No. 18 in rushing yards and No. 8 in passing yards.

Daboll, 44, began his NFL coaching career in 1997 with Williams & Mary. He spent a few years at Michigan State before being hired by the Patriots in 2000 as a defensive coaching assistant.

Daboll worked his way up to WRs coach before departing for a job with the Jets and eventually landing the offensive coordinator job in 2009. After short stints with the Browns, Dolphins, Chiefs and Patriots before Alabama hired him as their offensive coordinator.

From there, Daboll joined the Bills as their offensive coordinator for the 2018 season. 

In 2019, the Bills’ offense ranked No. 24 in total yards, No. 23 in points scored, No. 8 in rushing yards and No. 26 in passing yards.