Freddie Kitchens & Kevin Stefanski Finalists For Browns’ HC Job

Update:

According to Ian Rapoport, Freddie Kitchens and Kevin Stefanski are considered to be the two finalists for the Browns’ head-coaching job, which explains why Stefanski is back in Cleveland on Tuesday for a second interview.

Rapoport says that these are the only two known finalists, so this could be it.

Stefanski, 36, 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.

Since then, 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 midseason.

According to Ian Rapoport, Browns OC Freddie Kitchens is getting “strong consideration” from the team for the head-coaching job after he interviewed for the position on Monday.

• Rapoport says that the Browns do not appear to have made a decision on their next head coach, but they were making calls to people who’ve worked with Kitchens as of last night.
• Meanwhile, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Kitchens has a “good chance” of being named head coach of the Browns and “signs are pointing that way.“
• A source close to the situation tells Cabot that the Browns appear to be closing in on their man and that it could be Kitchens.
• A separate source added that several assistant coaches have already been asked to stay on.

The list of reported interviews for the Browns includes:

1. Saints assistant HC/TEs coach Dan Campbell (Interviewed)
2. Browns interim HC Gregg Williams (Interviewed)
3. Former Lions & Colts HC Jim Caldwell (Interviewed)
4. Vikings interim OC Kevin Stefanski (Interviewed)
5. Browns OC Freddie Kitchens (Interviewed)
6. Colts DC Matt Eberflus (Interviewed)
7. Patriots DC Brian Flores (Interviewed)
8. Colts OC Nick Sirianni (Requested)
9. Steelers OL Coach Mike Munchak (Requested)
10. Former Packers HC Mike McCarthy (Scheduled)

Kitchens, 44, began his coaching career back in 1999 as the RBs/TEs coach for Glenville State. He worked for a few schools before being hired by the Cowboys as their TEs coach for the 2006 season.

Kitchens later joined the Cardinals and held a few jobs including TEs coach, QBs coach and RBs coach before joining the Browns as their RBs coach and associate HC. After the team fired Todd Haley, Kitchens took over as offensive coordinator.