Cleveland Browns

Another day, another serious candidate for the Browns’ head-coaching job opts not to proceed with a second interview.

Earlier this week, former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel canceled his second interview with the Browns. Now, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has canceled his second interview.

Here’s the full tweet from Cabot: “Jesse Minter is not interviewing for the Browns HC job today as scheduled, likely because he feels like he has other HC opportunities that are more certain.”

Of the jobs still open, Minter has been interviewed by the Cardinals, Raiders, and Ravens. Some believe he’ll become the next head coach of the Ravens.

The 42-year-old Minter has spent the past two years in L.A. He spent the two prior years as Michigan’s defensive coordinator. He has four years of NFL experience, from 2017 through 2020 with the Ravens, serving as defensive backs coach in his final season there.

The 2025 regular season has come to an end and 14 teams will be moving on to the postseason in pursuit of a Super Bowl title.

For some of the 18 teams who have played their final games, attention will now shift to finding new head coaches and/or General Managers to help their own bids for success in the future. This tracker will keep tabs on who has been let go and who is in the mix for the vacancies around the league.

Arizona Cardinals: Fired head coach Jonathan Gannon on January 5. Expected to interview Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Requested interviews with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. Requested interview with Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Requested interview with Patriots passing game coordinator Thomas Brown. Set to interview Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy on January 9. Expected to interview Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. Requested interview with Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. Requested interview with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Scheduled to interview Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter on January 13. Requested interview with Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke. Requested interview with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Interviewed former Falcons coach Raheem Morris in person. Scheduled to interview LaFleur on January 16. Scheduled for second interview with Saleh for January 20. Interviewed Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady on January 20. Scheduled second interview with Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile for January 22.

Atlanta Falcons: Fired head coach Raheem Morris and General Manager Terry Fontenot on January 4. Requested interviews with Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. Expected to speak with former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. Requested interview with Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham. Requested interview with Panthers executive vice president Brandt Tilis as well as Lions COO Mike Disner for their president of football operations job. Requested interview with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Completed interviews with Disner and Tilis for the president of football operations job. Completed interview with 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams for the president of football ops job. Completed interview with Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham for the president of football ops job. Hired Matt Ryan as president of football on January 10. Interviewed Kubiak and Weaver on January 10. Interviewed Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde on January 10. Interviewed Stefanski on January 11. Requested interview with Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. Requested interview with Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. Set to interview former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on January 12. Announced completed interview with former Ravens HC John Harbaugh on January 12. Completed interview with McDaniel. Requested interview with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Expected to interview former Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce. Interviewed Hafley on January 15. Scheduled to interview Pierce on January 16. Scheduled to interview Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady on January 18. Conducting second interview with Stefanski on January 17. Hired Stefanski as their new head coach on January 17. Requested G.M. interviews with Steelers assistant G.M. Andy Weidl, Cunningham, Texans assistant G.M. James Liipfert, and 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams.

Baltimore Ravens: Fired head coach John Harbaugh on January 6. Requested interviews with Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Set to interview Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and quarterbacks coach/pass game coordinator Davis Webb on January 8. Set to interview Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy on January 11. Set to interview Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores the week of January 12. Requested interview with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Completed an interview with Webb on January 8. Requested interview with Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady. Interviewed Kubiak on January 9. Interviewed former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski on January 9. Interviewed Nagy on January 11. Requested interview with Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase. Set to interview former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. Scheduled interview with former Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury on January 12. Scheduled interview with Weaver on January 12. Requested interview with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Requested interview with Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Interviewed Flores on January 13. Interviewed Schwartz on January 14. Interviewed Minter on January 14. Scheduled to interview Saleh on January 18. Interviewed McDaniel on January 15. Scheduled to interview Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula on January 16. Scheduled to interview Scheelhaase on January 16. Announced interview with Brady on January 18. Announced interview with Saleh on January 18. Interviewed Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile on January 19. Scheduled for second interview with Weaver on January 20. Expected to interview Broncos special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi. Set for second interview with Brady. Expected to have a second interview with Minter.

Buffalo Bills: Fired head coach Sean McDermott on January 19. Scheduled interview with Commanders running backs coach/run game coordinator Anthony Lynn for January 21. Expected to interview their offensive coordinator Joe Brady and former Giants head coach Brian Daboll. Requested interview with Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Requested interview with Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski. Completed interview with Brady on January 21. Scheduled to interview Udinski on January 25. Completed interview with Daboll on January 22.

Cleveland Browns: Fired head coach Kevin Stefanski on January 5. Requested interview with Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Requested interview with Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde. Requested interview with Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher. Will interview Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees on January 8. Will interview defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz on January 8. Will interview Durde and Pitcher on January 9. Requested interview with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Interviewed Monken on January 10. Requested interview with Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase. Set to interview former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on January 12. Requested interview with Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski. Scheduled to interview Scheelhaase on January 16. Scheduled a second interview with Schwartz on January 18. Interviewed Minter on January 16. Interviewed Udinski on January 17. Scheduled for second interview with Monken on January 20. Set for second interviews with McDaniel, Minter, Scheelhaase, and Udinski. Completed second interview with Schwartz on January 19. McDaniel withdrew from consideration on January 20. Completed second interview with Monken on January 20.

Las Vegas Raiders: Fired head coach Pete Carroll on January 5. Expected to interview Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Requested interview with Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Requested interview with Broncos quarterbacks coach/pass game coordinator Davis Webb. Scheduled to interview Webb on January 7. Set to interview Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy on January 8. Scheduled to interview Joseph on January 8 and Kubiak on January 9. Set to interview former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski on January 8. Requested interview with Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase. Expected to interview Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. Requested interview with Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. Requested interview with Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. Requested interview with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Requested interview with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Completed interviews with Minter and Evero. Scheduled to interview LaFleur on January 16. Scheduled to interview Scheelhaase on January 16. Interviewed Hafley on January 15. Scheduled to interview former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on January 19. Scheduled second interview with Evero for week of January 19. Scheduled interview with former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on January 19. Scheduled second interviews with Minter and Hafley. Interviewed Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady and 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak on January 18. Completed second interview with Minter on January 20. Completed second interview with Evero.

Miami Dolphins: Fired General Manager Chris Grier on October 31. Fired head coach Mike McDaniel on January 8. Requested interviews with 49ers vice president of player personnel Tariq Ahmad, Eagles assistant GM Alec Halaby, Rams assistant GM John McKay, Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan, and 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams on January 5. Requested interview with 49ers assistant GM RJ Gillen on January 5. Requested interview with Chargers assistant GM Chad Alexander. Announced a final four of Alexander, Sullivan, Williams and their interim GM, Champ Kelly. Set to interview Alexander and Sullivan January 8. Hired Sullivan as their GM on January 9. Interviewed Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak on January 10. Requested interview with Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. Requested interview with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Requested interview with Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard. Requested interview with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Interviewed former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski on January 13. Requested interview with Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Requested interview with Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. Interviewed Hafley on January 14. Scheduled to interview Minter and Saleh on January 15. Completed interviews with Minter and Saleh on January 15. Scheduled to interview Shula on January 16. Scheduled second interview with Hafley for January 19. Interviewed Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady on January 18. Interviewed Graham and Sheppard on January 19. Hired Hafley as the 12th full-time head coach in team history on January 19.

New York Giants: Fired head coach Brian Daboll on November 10. Expected to speak with former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. Expected to interview Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Requested interview with Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Requested interview with Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Scheduled interview with former Cowboys and Packers head coach Mike McCarthy for January 13. Set to interview Stefanski on January 7. Completed interview with interim head coach Mike Kafka on January 7. Set to interview former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris on January 8. Set to interview Giants Super Bowl winning linebacker and former Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce on January 8-9. Requested interview with Broncos special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi. Set to interview Rizzi on January 10. Requested interview with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Requested interview with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Interviewed former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh on January 14. Finalizing deal with Harbaugh on January 14. Announced Harbaugh as their new head coach on January 17.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Tomlin stepped down as head coach on January 13. Requested interview with Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase. Requested interview with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Requested interview with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Requested interview with Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. Requested interview with Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. Requested interview with 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak. Scheduled to interview Shula on January 16. Scheduled to interview Scheelhaase on January 16. Scheduled to interview Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley on January 17. Expected to speak to former Cowboys and Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. Expected to have in-person interviews with Flores and Weaver. Scheduled to interview McCarthy on January 21. Completed interview with Flores on January 20. Interviewed Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.

Tennessee Titans: Fired head coach Brian Callahan on October 13. Requested interview with Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy on January 5. Requested interviews with Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo on January 5. Requested interview with Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo on January 5. Will reportedly interview former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris later in the week of January 5. Expected to speak with former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. Scheduled interviews with Stefanski for January 10 and with Morris for January 11. Scheduled interview with Anarumo for January 7. Scheduled interview with Nagy for January 8. Expected to interview Joseph. Scheduled interview with Spagnuolo on January 8. Requested interview with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Requested interviews with Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Requested interviews with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Scheduled interview with former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel for January 14. Interviewed Stefanski on January 10. Scheduled to interview former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon on January 18. Scheduled to interview former Giants head coach Brian Daboll on January 16. Scheduled to interview Hafley on January 13. Scheduled to interview Minter on January 13. Interviewed McDaniel and Smith on January 14. Scheduled to interview Saleh on January 18. Scheduled to interview former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy on January 17. Scheduled second interview with Hafley for January 20. Set for second interview with Nagy. Scheduled for in-person interview with Saleh on January 19. Completed second interviews with Nagy and Saleh. Finalizing deal with Saleh on January 20.

Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski is scheduled for an interview with the Bills for their head coaching job.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Udinski is set to meet with the team on Sunday. The Bills fired Sean McDermott in the wake of last weekend’s 33-30 overtime loss to the Broncos in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Udinski is also in the running for the head coaching job in Cleveland. He’s slated for a second interview with the Browns on Friday.

Udinski was hired by the Jaguars after Liam Coen took over as the team’s head coach in 2025. He worked with Coen to construct an offense that helped the team finish sixth in the league in points scored and win the AFC South.

The Browns may take both of the defensive awards handed out at this year’s NFL Honors.

Defensive end Myles Garrett is the favorite to be named the defensive player of the year after setting the single-season sack record and linebacker Carson Schwesinger has the best odds of being named the league’s defensive rookie of the year.

Schwesinger was a second-round pick last year and he went on to start all 16 games he played during his rookie campaign. He finished the year with 156 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, and 11 tackles for loss.

Two Falcons — safety Xavier Watts and edge rusher James Pearce — join Schwesinger, Giants edge rusher Abdul Carter, and Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori as the finalists for this year’s award.

Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is expected to be named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year after breaking the league record for sacks in a season. Sacking the quarterback is what every nominee for the award does best.

The NFL announced the five finalists for the Defensive Player of the Year, and all five are edge rushers.

In addition to Garrett, the finalists are Houston’s Will Anderson, Denver’s Nik Bonitto, Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson and Green Bay’s Micah Parsons.

Garrett had 23 sacks, Hutchinson had 14.5, Bonitto had 14, Parsons had 12.5 and Anderson had 12.

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, and he’s a rare winner from the secondary, as pass rushers win the award. In fact, this year’s finalists are so heavily skewed toward edge rushers that it’s fair to question whether enough voters are fully considering every defensive player, or simply filling out their ballots with five famous pass rushers.

The same panel of Associated Press voters who vote on the Defensive Player of the Year also choose the All-Pro team, and oddly that panel ranked Hutchinson sixth and Bonitto seventh among pass rushers. It’s odd, to say the least, to think Hutchinson and Bonitto are not among the Top 5 players at their position, but are among the Top 5 defensive players in the entire league.

We’re nearly certain the Defensive Player of the Year will be Garrett, and we’ll find out for sure at the NFL Honors. We can say for sure who it won’t be: Any interior defensive lineman, inside linebacker, cornerback or safety.

Jim Schwartz’s ship could be coming in again, 13 years later.

The Browns defensive coordinator has had two interviews for the head-coaching vacancy in Cleveland, after three years with the Browns as defensive coordinator. Now that former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has withdrawn his name from consideration for the job in Cleveland, Schwartz is the only remaining candidate with NFL head-coaching experience.

Beyond the obvious message sent by Schwartz getting a second interview, there’s a sense in some circles that Schwartz could indeed be the guy. As one source put it, the Browns ultimately have to weigh promoting him against potentially losing him.

When owner Jimmy Haslam spoke to reporters earlier this month, after the firing of coach Kevin Stefanski, Haslam said as to whether he wants Schwartz to remain with the team: “Absolutely. Great coach.”

The Browns ranked fourth in yards allowed during the 2025 regular season, with 283.6 per game. In 2023, Schwartz’s first as Cleveland’s defensive coordinator, the Browns allowed 270.2 yards per game, putting them at No. 1 by nearly 20 yards per game.

Back then, Schwartz got no sniffs in the ensuing hiring cycle. After the 2017 season, when he coordinator the Super Bowl-winning defense in Philadelphia, Schwartz got two interviews. He also interviewed for the Browns’ job in 2020, when it went to Stefanski.

Schwartz, 59, coached the Lions from 2009 through 2013, with one playoff appearance and a record of 29-51. He worked as Buffalo’s defensive coordinator in 2014 before spending 2016 through 2020 with the Eagles. In 2021 and 2022, Schwartz worked as a senior defensive assistant with the Browns.

Now, 13 years after he left the Lions, Schwartz could end up being a head coach for the second time in his career.

Tommy Rees is following head coach Kevin Stefanski from Cleveland to Atlanta.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Falcons are hiring Rees as their offensive coordinator. The team named Stefanski as its new head coach earlier this week.

Rees, 33, was promoted to offensive coordinator last offseason after spending 2024 as Cleveland’s tight ends coach. He previously served as Alabama’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in Nick Saban’s final year. Rees held the same positions at his alma mater, Notre Dame, in 2020-22.

Rees generated some interest at the college level for head coaching vacancies this offseason, with Penn State and Michigan reportedly interviewing him. He also interviewed for the Browns’ head coaching job.

The Browns lost a head coaching candidate on Tuesday, but they also completed a second interview with another one.

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken joined Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz as candidates who have had multiple meetings with the team. The interview came on the same day that Mike McDaniel dropped out of consideration for the job in order to become the offensive coordinator for the Chargers.

Monken is also believed to be the top candidate to be the Giants’ offensive coordinator. He was on John Harbaugh’s staff in Baltimore for the last three seasons, so the fit would be an obvious one if he does not land the job in Cleveland.

Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski are also scheduled to interview with the Browns this week. Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase is also on the second interview list, but cannot meet with the team before the NFC Championship Game.

It’s odd, to say the least, that a head-coaching candidate affirmatively withdraws from consideration after interviewing for the job. That’s what former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has done in Cleveland.

McDaniel interviewed for the job on January 12. He opted not to submit to a second interview, which had been scheduled for Wednesday.

The report provided no reason. One potential explanation is that McDaniel didn’t believe he’d get the job. Another potential explanation is that he didn’t want it. Which, if accurate, would be a smart move; taking a rebound job with a team that has a habit of firing coaches could result in the second chance not lasting job, while also becoming the coach’s last opportunity.

There’s another possibility. McDaniel remains under consideration for both the Raiders’ and Ravens’ head-coaching jobs. Maybe he believes he’ll be getting one of those two positions.

Regardless, McDaniel is far better off taking an offensive coordinator position with a good team than becoming the head coach of a perennially bad one. For every team, the goal is to hire a coach who has options. And it’s possible that McDaniel has decided he has better options than putting himself in line to be the next coach fired by the Browns.

Mike McDaniel won’t be the Browns’ next head coach, as McDaniel withdrew from the search on Tuesday. But the Browns are getting closer to hiring a replacement for Kevin Stefanski.

Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will interview with the Browns on Thursday, Albert Breer of MMQB reports, with Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski interviewing on Friday.

The Browns talked with their own defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, on Monday and Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken on Tuesday.

Rams passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase also remains in the mix in Cleveland.