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Jesse Minter Cancels Browns HC Interview

By | at January 22, 2026 12:06 pm

Jesse Minter was scheduled to interview with the Browns for a second time today. Instead, that will no longer be the case.

Minter has canceled his follow-up, as first reported by Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. This news comes as the Chargers defensive coordinator “likely” feels other HC options are more certain at this time, she adds. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Minter’s second interview with the Ravens yesterday went “very well.”

The Raiders are also in the running at this point, Schultz confirms. Minter met with Vegas for a second time on Tuesday. That makes him one of only two finalists still on the market as things stand in the Raiders’ case. Today’s Browns update certainly points in the direction of Minter winding up with either the Ravens or the Raiders relatively soon.

Minter is now the second candidate to withdraw from Cleveland’s ongoing search. Mike McDaniel recently did the same, and he is now positioned to become the Chargers’ next offensive coordinator. The Browns will once again turn their attention elsewhere with Minter no longer in the running as well. Internal and external finalists remain in contention.

The possibility of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz being promoted to head coach has long been a talking point during the 2026 hiring cycle. Keeping Schwartz within the organization in one capacity or another is seen as a high priority, and he was recently reported to be the favorite for the HC gig. Todd Monken has interviewed twice with the Browns, meaning he is a candidate to return to Cleveland instead of his expected move of following John Harbaugh to the Giants as their offensive coordinator.

The Browns are also among the teams which have shown considerable interest in Jaguars OC Grant Udinski. The sides will meet for a second interview tomorrow. Meanwhile, Cleveland has also requested a follow-up with Rams pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase. One cannot be arranged until next week, since Los Angeles advanced to the NFC championship game.

Minter was among the finalists for the Falcons before they ultimately hired Kevin Stefanski. A two-year coordinator at the NFL level, Minter has loomed as one of the top defensive HC candidates in particular throughout the hiring cycle. The 42-year-old has previously worked with the Ravens, and his time in the AFC West has made him a familiar face to the Raiders. Signs point to Minter joining one of those teams as the coaching landscape comes further into focus.

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Falcons Hire Tommy Rees As Offensive Coordinator

By | at January 22, 2026 12:02 pm

JANUARY 22: The Falcons announced on Thursday that Rees’ hire is official. He and Stefanski will now move forward in their new setting and fill out the remainder of the offensive staff.

JANUARY 21: Tommy Rees is set to follow Kevin Stefanski from Cleveland to Atlanta. The Falcons are expected to hire Rees as their offensive coordinator, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The deal isn’t official, but Rees has accepted the job, according to Albert Breer of SI.com.

This was the likely outcome when the Falcons hired Stefanski, previously the Browns’ head coach, on Saturday. Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reported then that the 33-year-old Rees was a candidate to rejoin Stefanski in Atlanta. The pair developed a strong working relationship in their two years together in Cleveland.

Rees interviewed to take over for Stefanski, but this move slams the door on that possibility. It’s obvious Cleveland will select a different head coaching candidate instead.

Formerly a Notre Dame quarterback, Rees got his start as a coach as a graduate assistant with Northwestern in 2015. He later returned to his alma mater to serve as Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach from 2020-22.

Rees worked in the same roles at Alabama in 2023, the last season of head coach Nick Saban‘s remarkable career. He oversaw a breakout campaign from then-sophomore quarterback Jalen Milroe, who’s now a backup with the Seahawks, and then left for the NFL.

After his only year on Saban’s staff, Rees joined the Browns as their tight ends coach and pass game specialist in 2024. Stefanski promoted Rees to offensive coordinator after firing Ken Dorsey last January, but the head coach opened 2025 as the Browns’ play caller. That changed when Stefanski handed the keys to Rees before a Week 10 loss to the Jets. It’s not known yet if they’ll continue with that arrangement in Atlanta.

The Browns’ offense ended the year a horrid 30th in yards and 31st in scoring, but the unit wasn’t exactly teeming with weapons. Although neither Stefanski nor Rees found an answer at quarterback among Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, that wasn’t a major surprise.

The 41-year-old Flacco was brought in as a stopgap, and the Browns wound up trading him to the Bengals in early October. Gabriel, a third-round rookie, struggled mightily before suffering a concussion in Rees’ second game as a play caller. Sanders, a fifth-round rookie, held the reins for the rest of the year. While Sanders performed better than Gabriel, he’s hardly a slam dunk to establish himself as the Browns’ solution under center.

The Falcons have a far more talented offense than the Browns (running back Bijan Robinson and wide receiver Drake London are among the game’s best at their positions), but QB is also a concern in Atlanta. After the 2023 season, former general manager Terry Fontenot made a mammoth free agent investment in Kirk Cousins and then surprisingly used the eighth overall pick on Michael Penix Jr. a little over a month later. Those two remain in place for now, but they’ve offered lackluster production for the Falcons.

Despite inking a four-year, $180MM contract, Cousins didn’t play well enough in his first Falcons season to keep the starting job. Then-head coach Raheem Morris benched Cousins for Penix in Week 16. Penix stuck as the Falcons’ starter this season until he went down with a partially torn ACL in Week 11. That continued a long history of serious injuries dating back to a college career divided between Indiana and Washington.

In the wake of his latest injury, it’s unknown if Penix will be healthy enough to start Week 1 in 2026. That’s assuming the Falcons’ new leaders – president of football Matt Ryan, a to-be-determined general manager and Stefanski – decide to go forward with Penix as the No. 1 option. They’re likely to release Cousins either way.

Along with questions at the game’s most important position, the Falcons’ offense is facing uncertainty at tight end. Kyle Pitts is due to become a free agent on the heels of a second-team All-Pro campaign. After successfully working with tight ends David Njoku and Harold Fannin in Cleveland, Stefanski and Rees may prefer to keep Pitts in the fold.

With Robinson, London and Pitts posting terrific numbers, the Falcons finished a slightly above-average 14th in total offense under coordinator Zac Robinson in 2025. Only eight teams amassed fewer points, though, and Stefanski and Rees will aim for better results next season.

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Kyle Shanahan: Gus Bradley ‘Obvious’ Choice For 49ers’ DC Job

By | at January 21, 2026 7:29 pm

The 49ers are without a defensive coordinator after Robert Saleh became the Titans’ head coach on Monday, but it doesn’t appear they’ll go outside the organization for a replacement. Speaking with reporters Wednesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan “all but said” assistant HC Gus Bradley will take over for Saleh, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Asked if he’d cast a wide net for Saleh’s successor, Shanahan revealed: “I’m not going to say it’s a real wide net. Gus is the obvious one to everyone. And (he) is to us, too. Gus would be the main internal candidate. I feel very fortunate to get Gus and feel great about that.”

While it appears the 49ers will promote Bradley, the Rooney Rule requires them to hold in-person interviews with two minority candidates before a decision is made. Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz may also emerge as a possibility for the 49ers, Nick Wagoner of ESPN notes. Schwartz is in the running to become the Browns’ head coach, but even if that doesn’t happen, they’d like to retain him.

If Shanahan ultimately chooses Bradley, it would put the 59-year-old in position to serve as a D-coordinator for the fifth time in his career. Bradley previously led defenses for the Seahawks (2009-12), Chargers (2017-20), Raiders (2021) and Colts (2022-24). His greatest success came in Seattle during the early stages of the “Legion of Boom” era. The Seahawks boasted the top scoring defense in Bradley’s last season on the job, but he left a year before they won the Super Bowl.

Bradley departed Seattle to become the head coach of the Jaguars, but it didn’t go well. The Jags posted a disastrous 14-48 record under Bradley from 2013-16, and he hasn’t gotten a second HC chance since then. Notably, Saleh was on Bradley’s staff in Jacksonville. He also worked under Bradley in Seattle.

The familiarity between Saleh and Bradley suggests the 49ers’ defense would transition smoothly from the former to the latter in 2026. In Saleh’s lone year on the job, San Francisco’s defense finished 13th in yards and 20th in points. A rash of injuries – including to the unit’s two best players, linebacker Fred Warner and edge rusher Nick Bosa – prevented the group from reaching its full potential.

A dislocated and broken ankle ended Warner’s season in Week 6, three weeks after Bosa tore his ACL. Warner underwent surgery in October, but the four-time first-team All-Pro should have a clean bill of health in 2026. Warner said he won’t require any offseason procedures, per Wagoner.

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Mike McDaniel Withdrawing From Browns’ HC Search

By | at January 20, 2026 4:27 pm

One of the biggest names on this year’s HC and OC carousels, Mike McDaniel has options. And he will not be going to Cleveland. The former Dolphins HC informed the Browns he is not taking their second interview, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports.

McDaniel is out of this Browns race, but he has met with the Raiders and Ravens. Multiple OC offers have also come in, per Pelissero, who adds McDaniels’ Chargers OC meeting is today. McDaniel was slated to meet with the Browns in-person Wednesday.

The Browns have been connected to McDaniel since before firing Kevin Stefanski, but since the former’s Dolphins ouster, he has been the most popular non-John Harbaugh name available. The Browns, Falcons, Ravens, Raiders and Titans have interviewed him for HC jobs. The Bolts, Eagles, Ravens, Lions and Buccaneers scheduled OC interviews. New Titans HC Robert Saleh is also believed to have interest in bringing his ex-49ers coworker to Tennessee as his play-caller.

Cleveland had a second McDaniel interview booked. The AFC North team is believed to be strongly considering promoting DC Jim Schwartz, though it has requested a second meeting with Rams pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase. Jaguars OC Grant Udinski landed a second interview as well. The Rams remaining in the playoffs has Scheelhaase’s second meeting on hold. Ravens OC Todd Monken, who seems to have a landing spot in place with the Giants as OC, is going through a second Browns HC interview today.

Although Stefanski led Cleveland to playoff berths in 2020 and 2023, the Browns have slipped back to their regular place — well, since their 1999 relaunch — in the NFL hierarchy after combining for just eight wins over the past two seasons. This job is rarely seen as a coveted position, with Jimmy Haslam known for meddling. This is the first time, however, the Browns have searched for a head coach since authorizing the disastrous Deshaun Watson extension. That contract is expected to remain on the payroll this year, and a historic dead money bill — from void years created through restructures — is on tap for 2027. That will affect this search, with the Browns being hamstrung by that 2022 mistake for at least two more years.

It is interesting that McDaniel would back out of a head coaching search when he is not assured to stay on the HC radar. But working with a solid quarterback as an OC would naturally appeal to the four-year Dolphins coach. The Bills’ HC job is also open, though McDaniel has yet to be connected to that appealing position. But he could have the opportunity to work with Justin Herbert in L.A., Baker Mayfield in Tampa or even Lamar Jackson in Baltimore — after being mentioned as an option for the Ravens’ HC or OC role.

McDaniel’s destination should be known soon. He is also not the only candidate to withdraw from a search during this year’s cycle. Stefanski exited the Raiders’ HC search, soon becoming the next Falcons leader.

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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at January 20, 2026 9:00 am

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 1-22-26 (5:15pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens 

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

  • Mathieu Araujo, cornerbacks coach (Dolphins): Interviewed
  • Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed
  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Packers): Interviewed
  • Chris Harris, interim defensive coordinator (Jets): Interviewed 1/18
  • Daronte Jones, defensive backs coach (Vikings): Interviewed
  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed
  • Don Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Interviewed
  • Jim O’Neil, defensive assistant/safeties (Lions): Interviewed

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

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Browns Want To Keep Jim Schwartz In Some Capacity; Schwartz Favorite For HC Job?

By | at January 18, 2026 11:20 pm

Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has made it to the next stage of the club’s head coaching search, as he will take a second interview with Cleveland on Monday. Albert Breer of SI.com believes Schwartz will ultimately land the position, and he says the preference within the organization is to keep a talented DC on the staff in some capacity.

That suggests that even if the Browns go in a different direction at HC, they still want to keep Schwartz aboard for what would be a fourth year as defensive coordinator. And given the success he has had in that role, the team’s wish makes plenty of sense.

[RELATED: 2026 HC Search Tracker]

Schwartz, 59, has further cemented his status as one of the league’s top defensive minds during his Browns tenure. His unit ranked first in the NFL in yards allowed in 2023 and fourth in that regard this past season (albeit with a 19th-place finish in 2024 sandwiched in-between). Schwartz has received a number of endorsements from his players, and though Cleveland limped to a 5-12 mark in 2025, the team’s offense was the primary culprit.

That offense – or, more accurately, the unappealing quarterback situation – is one of the reasons why the Browns’ HC post is not as well-regarded as some of the other openings around the league. On the other hand, the Ravens are the only other club that appears to be considering Schwartz for a head coaching role in this year’s cycle, so the Cleveland vacancy may represent his best chance to get back in the HC ranks.

Schwartz has not worked as a head coach since 2013, which marked the end of a five-season run as the Lions’ sideline general. His overall 29-51 record in Detroit is a poor one, though he did lead the then-moribund franchise to a playoff berth in 2011, which was the first time since 1999 the Lions had qualified for the postseason. Schwartz earned a Super Bowl ring as the Eagles’ DC in 2017.

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is also scheduled for a second HC interview with the Browns. That summit is due to take place on Tuesday, one day after Schwartz speaks with team brass for a second time. If he does not land the Cleveland post, Monken is expected to follow John Harbaugh to New York and become the Giants’ OC.

Other offensive-minded candidates are getting additional consideration from the Browns as well. Jaguars OC Grant Udinski has secured a second interview. The same is true of former Dolphins HC and highy-popular candidate Mike McDaniel, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, who reports McDaniel’s second summit is scheduled for Wednesday. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase has also earned another interview request following his Friday meeting. Since LA is still in the playoffs, the date of his in-person sit-down is to be determined.

In light of his accomplishments, it stands to reason that another candidate who gets the Browns’ job would want to keep Schwartz as their DC. It remains to be seen if Schwartz would be amenable to that, or if he would seek a coordinator job elsewhere.

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Browns Arranging Second HC Interview With Jesse Minter

By | at January 18, 2026 3:27 pm

Internal and external candidates have emerged as serious targets for the Browns as their head coaching search continues. The list of outside staffers firmly on the team’s radar continues to grow.

Arrangements are being made for Cleveland to conduct a second interview with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The sides spoke on Friday, confirming Cleveland’s status as one of Minter’s numerous suitors. Each of the nine teams in the process of making a head coaching change have reached out to the up-and-coming staffer at least once.

This nevertheless represents the first instance in which a follow-up interview has been arranged in Minter’s case. It will be interesting to see if that changes over the coming days as every team except the Giants and Falcons ramps up its HC search. With the Chargers no longer in the postseason, Minter is free to speak remotely or in person with interested teams at any time. This Browns summit will be face-to-face, Rapoport notes to no surprise.

A three-time defensive coordinator at the college level, Minter, 42, won a national championship at Michigan in 2023. He then followed Jim Harbaugh to the NFL, taking on his current role with the Bolts. Los Angeles has boasted one of the league’s top defenses under Minter, finishing top-10 in points allowed during each of his two years in place. The team has particularly enjoyed strong play against the pass.

The Browns finished just 5-12 this season, but defensive shortcomings were not to blame. Cleveland ranked fourth in the NFL in yards allowed under Jim Schwartz, and retaining him remains a high priority for the team while Kevin Stefanski‘s replacement is sought out. Schwartz is a strong candidate to be promoted to head coach at this point, but Minter is one of several external options the Browns will attempt to meet with for a second time.

Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand for the Browns:

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Browns To Conduct Second HC Interview With Jaguars’ Grant Udinski

By | at January 18, 2026 11:51 am

JANUARY 18: Udinski’s virtual interview with the Browns on Saturday lasted the allotted three hours, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. That was an indication the meeting went well, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Cleveland has requested a second HC interview. The 30-year-old joins Jim Schwartz, Todd Monken, and Mike McDaniel as candidates to get a second interview request from the Browns.

O’Halloran says that even if Udinski does not get an HC gig, he could be in-demand as a play-calling OC. Jacksonville, however, could block OC interview requests.

JANUARY 12: Liam Coen understandably garnered the most praise for the Jaguars’ turnaround that produced a 12-5 season, but offensive coordinator Grant Udinski certainly played a key role as well. Teams have paid attention to Trevor Lawrence‘s resurgence with regards to Udinski’s status.

Coming up as a potential HC candidate weeks ago, Udinski is indeed on the radar. The Browns have requested an interview with the young OC, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Udinski is just 30 (today), but he already made the jump from assistant QBs coach to OC last year.

[RELATED: 2026 HC Search Tracker]

The Jaguars hired Udinski from his assistant QBs coach role in Minnesota. Although Udinski is a non-play-calling OC, the Jags going from 4-13 to 12-5 turned heads. With teams seeing how Coen and Ben Johnson turned their teams around in Year 1, more interest in offense-oriented HC candidates is logical. Udinski qualifies, even though his experience level falls short in most respects.

Udinski only leapt onto the position coaching level in 2023, being an assistant to Kevin O’Connell in the two years prior. He began his NFL career as a coaching assistant prior to that, following Matt Rhule from Baylor to Carolina in 2020. While Rhule did not work out with the Panthers and is back at the college level, teams took notice in Udinski last year. The Texans, Patriots, Seahawks and Buccaneers each interviewed Udinski for OC positions in 2025. He conducted two interviews with Seattle before becoming Jacksonville’s OC.

The Giants were believed to have Udinski on their HC radar this offseason, though no request has emerged yet. With the Jags now eliminated, Udinski is free to interview. Had Jacksonville defeated Buffalo on Sunday, he would have needed to wait until Wednesday to do a remote interview. Free of restrictions, Udinski most likely will meet about possibly succeeding Kevin Stefanski — who was also a Vikings staffer, albeit before Udinski arrived — in Cleveland.

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Wink Martindale, Jim Leonhard, DeMarcus Covington Among Jets’ DC Interviewees

By | at January 16, 2026 3:31 pm

The Jets’ defensive coordinator search has flown under the radar during a frenzied HC carousel, but it has taken shape Friday. The team announced eight candidates for the job.

In addition to interim DC Chris Harris, seven others received interviews. Don Martindale (Michigan), Jim Leonhard (Broncos), Ephraim Banda (Browns), Jim O’Neil (Lions), DeMarcus Covington (Packers), Daronte Jones (Vikings) and Mathieu Araujo (Dolphins) interviewed for the position.

Harris was reported as being likely to interview to keep the job, one he took on after the Steve Wilks firing, and Martindale came up as a candidate as well. The Jets submitted an interview request for Jones. Otherwise, their actions have been pretty quiet on this front.

Entering his rookie season as a head coach, Aaron Glenn tapped the experienced Wilks as his first defensive coordinator. The decision worked out so poorly that Glenn gave Wilks the ax in mid-December. Wilks lost his job the day after a 48-20 blowout loss to the Jaguars in Week 15.

The results didn’t necessarily improve in three games under Harris, who opened 2025 as the team’s defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. With Harris taking over for Wilks, the Jets surrendered a combined 106 points in losses to the Saints, Patriots and Bills.

Although Buffalo rested most of its key offensive players in Week 18, its Mitchell Trubisky-quarterbacked offense still teed off on the Jets for 470 total yards and 35 points. The Jets didn’t pick off Trubisky in that game, clinching an interception-less season for their defense. They became the first team to achieve that ignominious feat. While Harris is at least receiving consideration for a promotion to the full-time job, it would be a surprise to see the Jets choose him over the rest of the field.

Nobody from this octet carries more experience than the 62-year-old Martindale, most recently a D-coordinator at Michigan over the past two seasons. He has been a DC in the NFL for three teams – the Broncos (2010), the Ravens (2018-21) and the Giants (2022-23). Martindale’s Giants tenure ended after a rift with then-head coach Brian Daboll. The two got into a fiery confrontation before parting ways.

O’Neil and Covington join Martindale as former D-coordinators in the NFL. A defensive assistant in Detroit since 2024, O’Neil handled DC duties in Cleveland from 2014-15 and in San Francisco in 2016. He’s also a former Jets coach, having worked in multiple roles under Rex Ryan from 2009-12. Covington was the Patriots’ DC in 2024 under one-and-done head coach Jerod Mayo. He’s now the Packers’ defensive line coach and run game coordinator.

An NFL safety from 2005-2014, Leonhard spent three seasons as a member of Ryan’s defense in New York. The 43-year-old started his coaching career with Wisconsin in 2016. He worked as the Badgers’ DC from 2017-22.

Leonhard is now in his second season with the Broncos, who hired him as a defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator last year. Sean Payton promoted Leonhard to assistant head coach this season.

With the top-seeded Broncos chasing a championship, Leonhard may be a few weeks away from earning a Super Bowl ring as a key part of their staff. He’s also on the Cowboys’ radar as they search for a new D-coordinator.

Banda and Jones are also in the mix for the Dallas job. Previously a college DC at Miami and Utah State, Banda has been the Browns’ safeties coach since 2023. He fulfilled his interview request with the Cowboys today, too, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.

Jones, LSU’s coordinator in 2021, has coached in the pros with the Dolphins, Bengals and Vikings since 2016. He started his second Vikings stint in 2022 and has worked as a defensive pass game coordinator under DC Brian Flores since 2023. Flores, whose contract has expired, could leave for another job as a head coach or an assistant. If that happens, the Vikings may promote Jones to replace Flores.

Araujo was on the Yale staff before then-Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel hired him as an assistant DBs coach in 2022. He spent the past two seasons as Miami’s cornerbacks coach, but Araujo’s future is uncertain in the wake of McDaniel’s firing. If the Jets don’t hire Araujo and the Dolphins’ next head coach doesn’t retain him, he’ll have to look elsewhere in 2026.

Along with failing to record an INT, the Jets finished the year a lowly 25th in total defense and 31st in scoring. Their next defensive coordinator will have his work cut out in improving the unit, especially after the Jets traded cornerstone lineman Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner before the Nov. 4 deadline. The Jets received a haul of picks in those deals, though, and they’ll enter the offseason with a hefty amount of cap space. Between their draft capital and spending room, Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey will be in position to give the team’s next defensive coordinator more to work with in 2026.

Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

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Browns To Conduct Second HC Interviews With Jim Schwartz, Todd Monken

By | at January 16, 2026 9:53 am

Attention around the NFL will soon turn to the matter of second head coaching interviews. In the case of the Browns, one internal candidate will receive another look.

Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is set to interview with the team for a second time, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. The follow-up meeting will take place on Monday, she adds. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees also took part in an initial interview with Cleveland, but Cabot adds he is not expected to conduct a follow-up.

Schwartz has further cemented his status as one of the league’s top defensive minds during his Browns tenure. His unit ranked first in the NFL in yards allowed in 2023 and fourth in that capacity this past season. The 59-year-old has received a number of endorsements from Browns players, and given today’s update the possibility remains Schwartz – whose only other interview to date has been with the Ravens – will become Kevin Stefanski‘s successor.

Schwartz served as an NFL head coach from 2009-13. His Lions tenure produced a record of just 29-51, but subsequent success as a D-coordinator has opened the door to interest in a second HC gig. Expectations would no doubt remain high on defense in Cleveland’s case in the event Schwartz were to take over, but it would be interesting to see how his offensive staff would be filled out in such a scenario.

Another target for a second Browns interview has emerged. During an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast (video link), ESPN’s Peter Schrager reported that Todd Monken is expected to speak with Cleveland once again. The current Ravens offensive coordinator has long been mentioned as a strong candidate to follow John Harbaugh to his next destination. That means a Giants hire in Monken’s case is anticipated by many. According to Schrager, however, arrangements are being made for the Browns to conduct a follow-up interview on Tuesday in Monken’s case.

In 2019, Monken served as Cleveland’s OC. That one-year stint was followed by a successful run at Georgia and three seasons in Baltimore (the first two of which were highly productive). Monken, 59, is a candidate to return to the Buccaneers as their offensive coordinator, pending the status of talks with the Giants he is likely to take part in shortly. The possibility of a head coaching opportunity could of course complicate any potential deal with New York.

Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand for Cleveland:

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