Mike McCarthy has plenty of connections in Cleveland, and the longtime Green Bay coach looks to be on his way to northeast Ohio for a head coaching interview.
The Browns are expected to meet with McCarthy on Thursday, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports. This will be McCarthy’s second known interview, with the Jets having secured one as well. It’s not known which meeting will occur first.
Now led by longtime McCarthy Packers co-worker John Dorsey, the Browns reached out to the recently fired coach over the weekend. And the parties are set to meet as part of a wide-ranging Cleveland HC search. Former Packers front office execs Alonzo Highsmith and Eliot Wolf are now with the Browns as well, making a McCarthy-to-Cleveland path obviously interesting.
The Packers fired McCarthy midway through their second straight non-playoff season. Green Bay did advance to eight straight postseasons under McCarthy, however.
Now 55, McCarthy was rumored to possibly sit out this round of hiring, unless an ideal fit came around, but the Browns are suddenly an intriguing team. Having won seven games for only the second time in the past 11 seasons, the Browns have formed a promising young nucleus featuring the likes of Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb and Denzel Ward. Potential offensive rookie of the year Baker Mayfield is the centerpiece and will help the Browns attract a level of coaching candidate they previously struggled to in the recent past.
Both the Jets and Browns will have plenty of cap space, with New York set to hold more than $100MM and Cleveland prepared to carry at least $85MM. Both teams figure to be key offseason entities, each drafting their hopeful franchise quarterback last year and each now in the process of critical coaching searches.
Hopefully he gets one of those Gruden deals 10 for 10
NeverNeverNeverNeverNever
Please say it isn’t so…
I genuinely want the browns to succeed, Gregg Williams and Freddie Kitchens did an excellent job. Give Williams the job it’s not a flashy hire but it’s the right hire. If they go with someone else he’ll be Baker’s third head coach before he starts his second season, that’s not good at all.
Hiring a toxic coach who got busted for a bounty program doesn’t seem right
He was already hired by them, it’s not like he’s just getting hired. There’s not really a difference from interim HC and permanent HC. I agree what he did was wrong, but people deserve a second chance.
Yeah there is. An interim coach is on a season long interview and has zero commitment from the team. Hence the “interim” tag. And if they start interviewing others after the season, you probably didn’t get the gig.
just because they are inteviewing does not mean they dont want him to be the coach. I guess teams could just be blunt about it and interview a tight ends coach, a water boy and the guy sitting in row 8 and seat 14 instead of interviewing possible candidates.
I dont see how he seperated himself to be the guy tbh. They had New Orleans and Pittsburgh beat under Hugh but the kicker screwed them. Had other very close losses too.
Do you agree that his 30th ranked defense is wrong?
You mean like Sean Peyton?
Payton takes the heat because he was the HC but Williams was responsible for the whole situation. It also came out that he had those “programs” in Buffalo and other stops as DC
Yeah, but it’s the Browns. They always find a way to shoot themselves in the foot. I’m sure they’ll figure out a way to remain a complete dumpster fire. Trust me, I can relate as a long suffering Bengals fan.
Dumpster fire? Says the fan of the last place team that actually took Hue Jackson on board.
I completely agree. I said as much myself. Both teams are dumpster fires. Both track records speak to that. I’m not sure where the point of contention is. Why I said I could relate being a Bengals fan, LOL.
I really feel this is the guy they will hire. Almost feels like he already has the job. I can see him going to the Jets also but I think the Browns will push hard to hire him.
This is NOT an upgrade to either Williams or kitchens…..fail
The Browns have a lot of talent. McCarthy can bring them to the next level. Dilly, dilly.
Vomit, vomit.
If they hire McCarthy and keep Williams as DC and Kitchens as OC then cool. Get a Vet coach who carries a certain level of respect and the same views as the FO. But if atleast Kitchens isn’t retained then its a horrible idea. Kitchens and Baker has something going after Hue got canned
Bring back the hueless mental midget:) Cleveland rocks
14 teams have reached out to former SB winning coaches expecting the magic to be repeated and none of those coaches were able to deliver a championship. Browns should take a pass on McCarthy.
Mike McCarthy = Jeff Fisher