Headlines

Kevin Stefanski

Dolphins Arrange HC Meetings With Kevin Stefanski, Patrick Graham

By | at January 13, 2026 9:09 pm

9:09pm: Graham will interview in Miami on Jan. 19, per Josina Anderson of The Exhibit.

3:52pm: An interview between Kevin Stefanski and the Dolphins regarding their HC vacancy has been expected. One will indeed take place.

Miami will interview Stefanski today, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. The meeting will be in person, which comes as no surprise. As a coach who is currently not under contract with another team. Stefanski is free to speak with suitors at any time.

The two-time Coach of the Year was seen by many as the top candidate on the market when his Browns tenure ended last Monday. The Ravens have since fired John Harbaugh, though, and he now represents the No. 1 target for several teams. Recent reports have pointed to the Giants and Falcons as the frontrunners in Harbaugh’s case. The coaching market may not see much movement until the Super Bowl winner makes his decision.

Stefanski’s fate may be closely tied to Harbaugh’s. Both Atlanta and New York are perceived to have Stefanski classified as Plan B in the event they are unable to land Harbaugh. Interest from other teams remains, of course, which leaves plenty of unanswered questions at this point in the hiring cycle. The Dolphins are among the teams which have been in contact with Harbaugh,

New GM Jon-Eric Sullivan is now on the interview committee that also includes Stephen Ross, Dan Marino, Troy Aikman, president Tom Garfinkel, senior VP of football administration Brandon Shore and Ross son-in-law Daniel Sillman, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweets. Aikman was onboard for the GM search, but the Hall of Fame quarterback-turned-announcing mainstay is helping the team find a head coach as well.

Stefanski has also interviewed with the Ravens, Raiders and Titans, making Miami his sixth meeting. The ex-Browns HC seems likely, even with Harbaugh and now Mike Tomlin unemployed, to land a second-chance job this offseason. Stefanski piloted a moribund Browns franchise to its second and third playoff berths since respawning back in 1999, taking Cleveland to the postseason in 2020 and ’23. The latter qualification was particularly impressive considering the Deshaun Watson albatross contract was on the books then; Stefanski earned his second Coach of the Year honor for reaching the playoffs behind in-season free agent signing Joe Flacco. The Browns winning just eight games over the past two seasons doomed the acclaimed leader, however.

In addition to the Stefanski meeting, the Dolphins have requested to interview Raiders DC Patrick Graham. The four-year Las Vegas staffer received an interview slip, per Pelissero. This would give Graham a chance at a Miami return. Graham spent the 2019 season as the Dolphins’ DC, serving in that capacity in Brian Flores‘ first HC season. Graham called Dolphins defensive plays in 2019, but the team allowed him to leave and become the Giants’ DC in 2020.

Graham managed to retain his Raiders DC role under three HCs, being retained by Antonio Pierce and Pete Carroll. The Commanders are also hoping to meet with Graham about their DC gig.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

8 comments Miami Dolphins

Kevin Stefanski Seen As Second HC Choice For Giants, Falcons; Dolphins Interview Expected

By | at January 12, 2026 4:51 pm

A long list of John Harbaugh suitors exists with eight head coaching openings around the NFL. It would come as little surprise if the Super Bowl winner were to be the first domino to fall in this year’s hiring cycle.

The Giants and Falcons are seen as the frontrunners for Harbaugh, though other suitors are in play as well. Earlier today, it was learned his first interview was completed with Atlanta. Both teams have Harbaugh atop their wishlists, but they also seem to share a backup plan.

Kevin Stefanski is seen among coaching candidates as Plan B for the Giants and Falcons, Connor Hughes of SNY reports. Whichever team is unable to hire Harbaugh is expected to turn its attention to Stefanski as a result. Of course, there are other potential landing spots in Stefanski’s case as well.

The former Browns HC was viewed by many as the top candidate on the market prior to Harbaugh’s dismissal. Stefanski would still represent an accomplished hire regardless of how the coaching landscape shakes out over the coming weeks. A two-time Coach of the Year winner, he would offer experience and a potential play-caller to any new team.

The Giants moved on from Brian Daboll midway through the 2025 season. General manager Joe Schoen is still in place, but finding early success with the team’s next head coaching hire will no doubt be critical with respect to his job security. Stefanski, 43, has already interviewed with the Giants and has recently been named as a candidate to watch closely regarding their opening.

Having moved on from Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot, the Falcons are the only team in the NFL with a vacancy at the head coach and general manager positions. Atlanta has brought in Matt Ryan as president of football operations, and with that hire having taken place the team will proceed on the other two fronts. The Falcons’ interest in Harbaugh speaks to their desire for a veteran staffer, so Stefanski represents a logical fallback option.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, are among the teams which have also been connected to Stefanski.No meeting has taken place between team and coach yet, but Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports one is expected in this case. As a coach who is not under contract, Stefanski is free to interview with suitors and accept a position at any time.

6 comments Atlanta Falcons Miami Dolphins New York Giants

Dolphins Contact John Harbaugh; Troy Aikman Assisting In HC Search

By | at January 12, 2026 4:17 pm

JANUARY 12: The Dolphins are not seen as a frontrunner for Harbaugh at this time, although Jackson reports further contact between the parties will take place. Whether or not Miami winds up as a finalist remains to be seen, but the team is among Harbaugh’s many suitors as things stands.

JANUARY 10: The Dolphins considered a trade for then-Ravens head coach John Harbaugh in 2019. No deal came together, though, and Harbaugh remained in Baltimore for the long haul. Seven years later, the Dolphins are in the market for a head coach again. With Harbaugh a free agent after the Ravens fired him this week, he’s back on Miami’s radar. The Dolphins contacted Harbaugh and informed him of their interest, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Dolphins became the seventh team to reach out to Harbaugh since he lost his job on Tuesday, Albert Breer of SI.com reports. That means every club without a head coach (excluding Baltimore, of course) has contacted Harbaugh. The Cardinals, Falcons, Browns, Raiders, Giants and Titans are also in the market.

The Giants, Dolphins, Titans and Falcons look like the most realistic fits for Harbaugh, Breer observes, but interest in the 63-year-old extends beyond clubs with head coach openings. Harbaugh has heard from “at least nine other teams,” Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.

Playoff participants such as Buffalo and Green Bay have come up as potential landing spots for Harbaugh. The Packers, however, seem likely to work out a contract extension with Matt LaFleur. That would rule out Harbaugh joining the Pack.

Harbaugh, who will begin interviewing next week, hasn’t booked anything with the Dolphins yet, Jackson reports. Considering the Harbaugh family has a “longtime relationship” with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him wind up as a front-runner for the position. However, a lack of clarity at quarterback could hurt the Dolphins’ cause.

Harbaugh enjoyed remarkable stability under center throughout his 18-year tenure in Baltimore, first with Joe Flacco and then Lamar Jackson. Thanks in large part to an incredible playoff run from Flacco, the Ravens capped off the 2012 season with a Super Bowl victory. The Ravens haven’t won a championship since then, but Jackson has been an elite QB who has twice earned MVP honors since his first full season in 2019.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins and new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan will have to figure out how to proceed with Tua Tagovailoa. While Tagovailoa is open to a fresh start, he’s owed a guaranteed $54MM in 2026. Releasing Tagovailoa would cost the Dolphins a record $99.2 in dead money, though designating him a post-June 1 cut would enable to spread that total over two seasons. Still, it would be a less-than-ideal situation for Harbaugh or anyone else who may replace the ousted Mike McDaniel as the Dolphins’ next sideline leader.

Miami’s head coach hiring will come with input from Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, who will stay on in an advisory role, Jackson relays. The Dolphins first brought the “Monday Night Football” broadcaster in to assist in a GM search that ended with Sullivan’s hiring. The team appreciated Aikman’s “diligence and effort” during the process, per Jackson. The former Cowboy will now have some say over the HC position, though Sullivan and Ross will lead the way.

In the event the Dolphins don’t hire Harbaugh, Jackson identifies Packers coordinators Jeff Hafley (defense) and Adam Stenavich (offense), former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, ex-Packers and Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy and Jaguars D-coordinator Anthony Campanile as names to watch. Sullivan, who spent over two decades in Green Bay, has worked with Hafley, Stenavich and McCarthy. Campanile was Miami’s linebackers coach from 2020-23.

8 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Cleveland Browns Las Vegas Raiders Miami Dolphins New York Giants Tennessee Titans

Dolphins’ GM Hire Could Improve Giants’ Odds Of Landing John Harbaugh; Miami HC Job Not Viewed As Desirable

By | at January 11, 2026 9:12 am

The Giants have been connected to former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh from the moment Baltimore fired him last week, with initial reports saying New York is “all-in” on the former Super Bowl winner. The Dolphins have also contacted Harbaugh, but in the estimation of the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (video link), Miami’s GM hire is good news for Big Blue’s pursuit.

The ‘Fins recently named Jon-Eric Sullivan as their new general manager, bypassing Chad Alexander in the process. Interestingly, Alexander – who worked for the Ravens during 11 of Harbaugh’s 18 years with the club – was added to Miami’s GM search just hours before Baltimore relieved Harbaugh of his duties. The Chargers have employed Alexander as their assistant GM since Harbaugh’s brother, Jim, became the Bolts’ head coach in 2024.

Without the Harbaugh connection in place at the top of the Miami front office, Garafolo believes one potential suitor is off the board. Plus, he suggests Harbaugh – who could have his pick of non-Ravens teams in need of a head coach – may not want to join the Dolphins anyway due to their uncertain quarterback situation and difficult salary cap picture, which could necessitate a reset of sorts.

Fox Sports’ Eric D. Williams echoes that sentiment. Citing Tua Tagovailoa’s contract and 2025 performance, cap constraints, and an aging roster, only one of the league sources with whom Williams spoke ranked the Miami post among the top three HC vacancies in the league. The Giants offer a more promising roster, which includes a rookie-contract quarterback in Jaxson Dart who flashed in 2025, and that is one of the reasons why the New York job is generally considered to be a more attractive one.

We heard just yesterday that Harbaugh is watching film on Dart and Tennessee QB Cam Ward and is staying in touch with decision-makers for both the Giants and Titans as well as members of his most recent Baltimore coaching staff. In a separate report for the NFL Network (video link), Garafolo says the Giants are not taking a “Harbaugh-or-bust” approach to their HC search, though he does acknowledge they are hoping they make Harbaugh’s short list and will land an interview with him. While Garafolo does not say so explicitly, the NFL Network included a graphic indicating former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski is one of the team’s other top candidates.

Paul Schwartz of the New York Post says that if the Giants truly want Harbaugh, they may need to step outside of their comfort zone on multiple fronts. In addition to commanding a salary at or near the top of the HC market – although a portion of that will be offset by the roughly $34MM the Ravens are obligated to pay through the end of the 2028 season – Harbaugh ran what one league source called a “big program” that may include additional investments in a larger coaching staff, team facilities, and other aspects of the operation.

Per Schwartz, Harbaugh will also want assurances that he will be able to hire any coordinator or coach he wants without financial constraint. Nonetheless, he is said to be willing to have a conversation with GM Joe Schoen, and considering the appeal of their vacancy, it is not surprising that Schwartz believes the Giants are squarely in the mix for Harbaugh’s services.

9 comments Miami Dolphins New York Giants

Ravens Interview Kevin Stefanski For HC; Browns Plan John Harbaugh Interview

By | at January 10, 2026 10:43 pm

The Ravens and Browns will always be tied to each other. The Ravens are sometimes referred to as “the old Browns,” in reference to the old Cleveland franchise’s move to Baltimore in 1996. Now, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, the two cities could potentially see two coaches make the same (and opposite) move that the franchise made 30 years ago.

Cabot reports that former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski interviewed with the Ravens yesterday for an opportunity to replace John Harbaugh as the team’s next head coach. Meanwhile, the Browns are planning to set up an interview with Harbaugh to fill the seat left vacant after they fired Stefanski on Monday. Cabot reports that Cleveland was one of the original seven teams to immediately reach to Harbaugh following his Tuesday dismissal, and they hope to meet with him as he begins his interview circuit in the coming week.

Harbaugh and Stefanski are two of the hotter names in the coaching market right now. After a stagnant Ravens team cut Harbaugh loose, he immediately jumped to the top of every team’s wish list, boasting a 180-113 regular season record, having made the playoffs in two-thirds of his seasons in Baltimore, and having brought the franchise its second-ever Lombardi Trophy. His reputation as a leader of men and culture-builder had every team with a vacancy (and some without one) reaching out to inquire on his availability.

Stefanski’s success in Cleveland wasn’t nearly as sustained, but it was still incredibly impressive. He came into his first head coaching opportunity to take over a franchise that hadn’t won a playoff game since 1994, made the playoffs since 2002, or even had a winning record since 2007, and he broke all three streaks in his first year with the team. Stefanski also maintained some level of success over the next few years, keeping the Browns competitive despite a quarterback carousel that, at times, felt beyond his control and taking the team to the playoffs a second time in 2023.

Stefanski’s ability to keep the team mostly afloat despite blow after blow being dealt to the quarterbacks room due to injury or legal trouble has teams giving the 43-year-old a strong look to remain a head coach in 2026. Now that we know Baltimore has been involved, aside from the Browns, the Cardinals are the only team with a vacancy that we haven’t seen linked to Stefanski in any way. He’s been a rumored candidate in Miami, plans to interview today with the Titans and later with the Falcons, and has already interviewed with the Giants, Raiders, and now the Ravens.

The Ravens’ head coaching search will be an extensive, competitive one as the job became, perhaps, the most attractive opening the moment Harbaugh was let go. Stefanski becomes the 11th name linked to the position and the fourth candidate to have interviewed for it. The distribution of candidates has been extremely even concerning offensive versus defensive background, and Stefanski’s addition to the list pushes the ratio in favor of offensive candidates 6:5.

In Cleveland, Harbaugh is one of eight candidates currently in the mix. The Browns have already interviewed two internal candidates (both coordinators Tommy Rees and Jim Schwartz) and one external candidate, Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde. They have interviews scheduled with Harbaugh’s former offensive coordinator, Todd Monken, and Bengals OC Dan Pitcher. and have requested one with Chargers DC Jesse Minter.

You can follow along with all the team openings and candidates involved in PFR’s 2026 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker. We’ll see if the cities of Baltimore and Cleveland trade pieces once again, but as the Tracker will show, there are many names in consideration for both teams and many teams interested in both candidates.

12 comments Baltimore Ravens Cleveland Browns

Raiders To Interview Kevin Stefanski For HC Job

By | at January 8, 2026 1:31 pm

Kevin Stefanski is now on four teams’ interview lists. After making meeting arrangements with the Falcons, Giants and Titans, the ex-Browns HC is on the Raiders’ radar.

Las Vegas brass will meet with Stefanski today, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Stefanski, Vance Joseph and Matt Nagy are meeting with the team today. As PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker displays, Vegas’ Klint Kubiak meeting is scheduled for Friday.

It is certainly not surprising Stefanski demand is this high. This cycle is light on offense-oriented candidates with experience, and Stefanski spent six years coaching the Browns. This tenure brought the most success Cleveland has had since rebooting.

The Browns extended Stefanski in 2024 but fired him Monday following an 8-26 record over the ensuing two seasons — a mark Jimmy Haslam deemed unacceptable this week. Haslam, however, retained GM Andrew Berry despite fingerprints on what is widely viewed as the worst trade in NFL history.

That said, the Browns’ catastrophic Deshaun Watson acquisition brought a line of demarcation during Stefanski’s tenure. The ex-Vikings OC managed to bag two Coach of the Year awards, the second of which coming after the Watson trade. Joe Flacco stepping in and running Stefanski’s offense, despite the Browns missing Nick Chubb and two starting tackles, to make a playoff berth brought only the Browns’ third playoff berth since respawning in 1999. Stefanski was responsible for the second trip as well, re-routing Baker Mayfield‘s career and then having the Browns in a divisional-round duel with a dominant Chiefs team.

Stefanski is just 43 despite having six years’ experience as a head coach. Even with John Harbaugh on the market, it would surprise if Stefanski did not land a second-chance job during this year’s cycle. There are now eight HC vacancies, as the Dolphins have fired Mike McDaniel. He stands to become an intriguing bounce-back candidate, though it is also possible the 42-year-old leader settles as a high-end OC option. Stefanski receiving multiple offers may not be out of the question, and the Raiders’ pattern of HC firings does not make their job overly appealing. Though, the No. 1 pick represents a solid selling point.

The Raiders’ confirmed interviews are mostly on the offensive side so far. Broncos QBs coach and pass-game coordinator Davis Webb joins Nagy, Kubiak and Stefanski in this area of expertise. Thus far, Joseph is the only confirmed interviewee on the defensive side. Teams regularly go in the other direction after a firing, and the Raiders canned two defensive coaches — Antonio Pierce and Pete Carroll — over the past two years. Considering Tom Brady‘s push for Ben Johnson in 2025, the Raiders looking toward the offensive side makes sense.

3 comments Las Vegas Raiders

2026 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

By | at January 7, 2026 9:50 pm

The Browns, Cardinals, Falcons and Raiders followed the Giants and Titans in firing head coaches, making those calls between the Week 18 conclusion and Black Monday. The Ravens then moved on from John Harbaugh after 18 seasons; two days later, the Dolphins canned Mike McDaniel. Following a wild-card loss, the Steelers and Mike Tomlin are separating after 19 years. Now, after an overtime divisional-round loss in Denver, Sean McDermott is out in Buffalo.

The 10 HC openings are tied with 1978, 1997, 2006 and 2022 for the most in one year. Here are the candidates connected to all those searches. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 2-9-26 (9:40pm CT)

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

12 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New York Giants PFR Originals Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tennessee Titans

Giants Set Up HC Interviews With Mike McCarthy, Kevin Stefanski

By | at January 7, 2026 8:31 am

Former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy may land with a third NFC team. The Giants will interview McCarthy for their head coaching position next week, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Their meeting will take place Tuesday, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

After the Ravens fired John Harbaugh on Tuesday, he reportedly vaulted to the top of New York’s wish list. The Giants will need a fallback plan if they’re unable to lure Harbaugh, though, and the 62-year-old McCarthy represents another experienced option with plenty of past success.

Like Harbaugh, McCarthy is a former Super Bowl winner. He helped the Packers to their most recent championship in 2010, his fifth season as their coach. Entering the playoffs as a 10-win wild-card team, the Aaron Rodgers-led Packers ripped off four straight victories en route to a title.

McCarthy lasted seven more years as Green Bay’s head coach after its Super Bowl XLV win over the Steelers. The Packers made the playoffs in five of those seasons, but a 4-7-1 start in 2018 led to McCarthy’s ouster.

After a year off, McCarthy took over for Jason Garrett as the Cowboys’ head coach in 2020. Dallas struggled to a 6-10 mark in McCarthy’s first year, but the team put together three straight 12-win seasons after that. The Cowboys won just one playoff game out of four during that stretch, though, before taking a significant step back in 2024. Quarterback Dak Prescott missed nine games with a severe hamstring injury, which helped lead to a 7-10 finish. Owner Jerry Jones allowed McCarthy’s contract to expire and went on to replace him with Brian Schottenheimer.

With his time in Dallas up, McCarthy interviewed for HC vacancies in Chicago and New Orleans last winter. Neither they nor anyone else hired McCarthy, who didn’t work in 2025. The offensive-minded McCarthy could resurface with the Giants, who would assign him the task of helping develop young quarterback Jaxson Dart. McCarthy would also attempt to build on an impressive 174-112-2 record as a head coach.

As the Giants wait to talk with McCarthy, they’ve already begun discussions with ex-Browns HC Kevin Stefanski. It was reported Monday that he would interview with the Giants. The two sides had dinner on Tuesday night, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Stefanski’s interview will occur on Wednesday, per Schefter.

18 comments New York Giants

Browns Fire HC Kevin Stefanski

By | at January 5, 2026 11:16 pm

The Browns are among the teams which will be seeking a new head coach over the coming weeks. Kevin Stefanski‘s tenure in Cleveland is coming to an end.

Stefanski has been fired, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Signs were pointing in this direction leading up to the end of the regular season yesterday. General manager Andrew Berry is safe, and Schefter notes he will lead the search for a replacement head coach.

[RELATED: Jim Schwartz Likely To Be Replacement Candidate]

Over the course of a lengthy tenure in Minnesota, Stefanski generated a strong reputation as one of the league’s top offensive minds. His 2020 hire marked the first head coaching opportunity at the college or NFL levels of his career. The 43-year-old went on to win the Coach of the Year award twice during his tenure in Cleveland. That span also included a record of just 7-26 over the past two years, however.

The struggles endured since the beginning of the 2024 season are identified in a team statement as part of the reason why the Browns have elected to move on in this case. After reaching the playoffs in 2023 – Cleveland’s second 11-win season under Stefanski – things have not gone according to plan, and quarterback uncertainty persists at this point. Finding a long-term answer under center will be a priority along with the search for a new head coach.

Stefanski, meanwhile, will contemplate his next move. A strong market could exist in his case based on his track record under stable QB situations and the lack of high-profile offensive coaches in the 2026 pool of candidates. Stefanski has been mentioned on multiple occasions as a logical fit with the Giants. As other vacancies open up around the league, it will be interesting to see how Stefanski fits into the overall coaching landscape this winter.

Cleveland will have stability at the GM spot moving forward with Berry remaining in place. Strong showings from multiple members of the Browns’ rookie class no doubt helped his job security. Nevertheless, today’s news comes after Paul DePodesta departed the organization to join Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies. Berry will be tasked with overseeing a notably different setup for the franchise once the second HC of his tenure is in place.

A report from last week tied the Browns to interest in Mike McDaniel. The Dolphins have yet to make a final decision on their head coach, although he is currently believed to be safe. In the event that changes, though, connections between Cleveland and McDaniel will be worth watching for.

The Giants and Titans made in-season HC firings. In the immediate aftermath of Week 18, the Falcons moved on from Raheem Morris as well general manager Terry Fontenot. With Stefanski now out, there are four head coaching vacancies and counting across the NFL.

68 comments Cleveland Browns Newsstand

Browns Notes: Schwartz, Stefanski, QB Situation

By | at January 5, 2026 9:59 pm

The Browns’ first decision of the offseason was to fire head coach Kevin Stefanski. The next step will be finding his replacement.

Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is an internal candidate, according to Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal, which is no surprise given his success over the last three years. Owner Jimmy Haslam refused to confirm that Schwartz is a candidate on Monday (via Tony Grossi of The Land on Demand), but admitted he wanted to retain his veteran DC.

The Browns defense has consistently been the team’s stronger side of the ball since Schwartz came aboard in 2023. They ranked first in total defense in his debut season and fourth in 2025; between was a down year that was impacted by a turnover-prone offense. Schwartz’s defenses have never ranked higher than 13th in points allowed, though that can again be partially attributed to the offense consistently losing the field position battle. But his familiarity with the current roster – which is primarily built on defensive cornerstones – is a major factor in his favor.

The Browns’ quarterback situation is, as always, a key part of their long-term planning that goes hand-in-hand with their decision on a new head coach. Despite some potential flashed by Shedeur Sanders this season, Cleveland still seems to be intent on nabbing a top quarterback prospects in one of the next two drafts. That would normally lean a team towards hiring an offensive coordinator for the top job. However, this hiring cycle is considered a weak one for potential offensive-minded head coaches who could groom a young QB.

Cleveland may therefore be better served by promoting Schwartz and adding an up-and-coming offensive assistants to work with the next quarterback. However, Haslam also indicated that he is ultimately open to a head coach with a background on either side of the ball. Their last four hires were offensive-minded coaches, but their lack of success in that stretch could inspire them to break the pattern.

Here is the latest out of Cleveland:

  • Even if they hire a defensive head coach, the Browns will be focusing on improving their offense this offseason. General manager Andrew Berry promised “significant investment” in the unit, per Grossi, with a first-round quarterback no doubt on the table. Cleveland may also need to replace multiple offensive linemen this offseason and could stand to improve their wide receiver corps.
  • Deshaun Watson is expected to be on the roster in 2026, Berry said on Monday (via Grossi). He is still completing his rehab from dual Achilles tears suffered last season. This follows a report indicating the same, with Watson’s onerous contract requiring an untenable dead money number to shed.
  • The Browns will still wait on any potential quarterback moves until they hire a new coach. From there, though, his first priority will likely be figuring out the team’s 2026 starter.
  • Stefanski has no intention of taking time away from football and has immediately thrown his hat in the ring for other head-coaching opportunities, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. He is already expected to interview with the Giants, Titans, and Falcons. He will not, however, take a lesser job with the Buccaneers and reunite with Baker Mayfield, per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman.
  • Longtime Browns guard Wyatt Teller is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career. The eight-year veteran does not know if his agent has discussed a new deal with the team, according to Easterling. If Cleveland is pursuing another rebuild, they may opt to move on from the 31-year-old lineman in favor of younger players.
  • Though rookie tight end Harold Fannin emerged as an impact pass-catching this season, the Browns are still interested in retaining pending free agent David Njoku. He wants to stay in Cleveland, too, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano, but coaching staff changes could change the calculus for either side.
4 comments Cleveland Browns Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Show all
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors