Another candidate has taken himself out of contention for the Browns‘ ongoing head coaching search. Grant Udinski is no longer in the running to be hired by Cleveland. 
Udinksi has withdrawn from the Browns’ search, as first reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Notably, he adds Udinski and the Jaguars have reached a new agreement. 2025 marked the first season for Udinski in Jacksonville, with him serving as the team’s offensive coordinator.
That position did not include play-calling duties, a responsibility head coach Liam Coen handled. Nevertheless, it represented another move up the ladder in Udinksi’s coaching career. The 30-year-old has only been an NFL staffer since 2020, spending two years with the Panthers and then three in Minnesota. Udinksi’s stock rose sharply during his Minnesota tenure, and it came as little surprise when he landed a coordinator opportunity last winter.
Jacksonville ranked sixth in scoring this season en route to a division title. Coen was of course a key figure in that success, but Udinkski helped his HC candidacy as well. A first opportunity to lead an NFL staff could still be coming. Per Garafolo, the Jags will allow Udinski to continue pursuing the Bills‘ HC opening. If a Buffalo hire does not take place, though, Jacksonville will have stability on the sidelines in 2026.
Mike McDaniel and Jesse Minter have also withdrawn from consideration in Cleveland’s case. McDaniel has an agreement in place with the Chargers to become their offensive coordinator, although he is not entirely out of the running for a head coaching gig at this point. Minter, meanwhile, was hired by the Ravens as their new HC last week. Udinski’s future is unclear at this point, but he will not be heading to Cleveland despite interviewing twice with the team.
The Browns have an internal candidate in the form of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Cleveland has also met with Todd Monken and Anthony Lynn in person. The Browns could arrange interviews with one or both of Nate Scheelhaase and Chris Shula now that the Rams’ season has ended. Given today’s news, it is increasingly clear a member of that group will emerge as the Browns’ eventual hire.
No one wants the Browns job?
Sam Rutigliano is still with us….he was awesome….maybe he could come out of retirement…that would be fun
Not true. I think it’s Nate Scheelhaase job to lose and Grant Udinski knew that….
Feels like it has always been Nate Scheelhaase as the front runner…we should know soon enough, as the Browns are flying out to California today to meet with him…..
Udinski runs lead on databasing and diagnosing pre-snap looks from opposing defenses. You know, the stuff that Coen got mad at Saleh for calling out the way he did. It’s only fair that Udinski stays with Coen for a year of being in the same division as Saleh.
I think he’s comfortable there and probably felt he wasn’t the front runner for the Browns job….
I’m going to take a wild shot in the dark and guess you think Nate Scheelhaase is the frontrunner.