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.
they’ll be lucky to attract a head coach who is even half as good as Stefanski
Good coaches rarely get fired…what till you see how poor the Falcons offense is ran this year and you will see why he got fired.
Stefanski has better weapons in Atlanta and a front office that wont handcuff him
As a life long falcons fan he and TR and a HUGE upgrade over Morris and Z Robinson. Watch how bad TB offense is this year with Robinson taking over.
Tommy Rees is an upgrade over an actual NFL offensive coordinator, lmao. That was your first clue this Falcon thing won’t be going so well, little Kev hiring bad coaches from his failed Cleveland days, but the buddy system prevails for terrible coaches over everything. What do they care? They get paid either way. Show me the coach who goes onto success with a .400 winning percentage after a hundred games, and I’ll find you a unicorn.
Get real dude he’s a good coach
good coaches never get fired? Harbaugh and McDermott alone prove your theory is garbage.
The deity that is Kevin Stefanski, lol. Nothing was ever his fault in Cleveland. He hired Joe Woods and kept him employed when their roster was stacked when he got there, but it’s not his fault. He fumbled not one but two franchise QBs, and it’s not his fault. He oversaw the offensive line going from strength to liability, but it’s not his fault. You wonder what this guy was responsible for since he was there six years.
who were these two franchise QBs?
The one who had 41 Tds last year for Tampa that he ran off and the one that was a perennial Pro Bowler when he got him in a trade from Houston. Any other obvious questions you want answered?
Ouch that’s pretty bad seeing that Stephanski was pretty bad over the last two years!!
He will coach the Ravens … they will probably announce it on saturday
PFF speculates Mack could follow him to Baltimore.
@brian wolf as a player or coach. Also I can see him landing with the chargers in a similar role if he hangs it up.
LET’S GO! USE THE SCHWARTZ!
DA SCHFARTZ ! … haha
“Tire World.”
Wrong sport.
Funny, but wrong sport.
Hard to blame a guy who will definitely get HC offers at some point for turning this one down.
It was a MUTUAL decision by both parties to cancel this 2nd interview….. Andrew Berry what’s one of the young up incoming coaches….Grant or Nate…he just needs to satisfy the Rooney Rule and then he can hire whichever one he prefers….
Good for him as Cleveland Browns is the worst spot for any HC who is going to be first year..
Wow people just rejecting hc jobs now. I’ll take it I don’t mind being fired in a couple of seasons and set for life.
He wasn’t offered the job and declined.
He took himself out of the running to do something else.
Likely has another HC job offer being finalized. Why waste everyone’s time?
No one wants to work for Haslem and the s$&@!show that is the Cleveland Browns.
Schwartz gets the job by default.
Hire Deion. Let’s light this candle.
OMG that’s hilarious
The Raiders take contradicts the rumor of them looking for an offense minded HC for Mendoza. Just FYI.
it’s Schwartz who will get it. it’s not a desirable job. they have an ok defense which is one Garrett injury away from cratering. QB situation is a mess. WR room is trash.
This team is no one’s first choice. Schwartz should be able to bring stability and can give an up and coming WR or QB coach an OC gig to see if they can do anything.
Just skip to the end of the movie when they hire Deion. It’s so silly that they’re going through this charade.
think deion proved without a Heisman dual threat his Colo teams and coaching is mid
No the Browns need an actual head coach, not a guy who’s never seen fit to serve even one day as an assistant, who seems to think the job should be handed to him because of his prior fame…unless the plan is to hire the worst coach possible and tank for two years until Watson’s cleared off the books. Then yes, hire Deion.
Good for him.. for recognizing the Browns as a dumpster fire and not being interested anymore
I don’t think he would be allowed to be HC of both the Ravens and Browns so it makes sense that he would cancel the interview.