The Browns are on the hunt for a new head coach.
Kevin Stefanski was fired after six seasons, a 45-56 record and two playoff berths on Jan. 5. That came a day after the Browns finished 5-12, completing an 8-26 two-year stretch.
General manager Andrew Berry was given the keys to the search by owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam. Berry said he’s going to have a committee formed to assist the search because “we’re going to leverage the expertise across our football operations group. This is an organizational decision.”
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So follow along here throughout for updates on this “organizational decision” that could turn the Browns around:
Kevin Stefanski will interview with the New York Giants on Jan. 7, one of the first interviews of the cycle. Stefanski will interview with the Tennessee Titsns Jan. 10.
The first known interview request for the Browns has gone to Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, a source confirms for the Beacon Journal after NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported. Monken has been the Ravens’ offensive coordinator since 2023 after having been at the University of Georgia from 2020-22, winning a pair of national championships.
Monken was the Browns’ offensive coordinator in 2019 under Freddie Kitchens. Prior to that, he was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator from 2016-18, and has been the Jacksonville Jaguars’ wide receivers coach from 2007-10.
Kevin Stefanski will be a hot commodity on the NFL coaching market. The Tennessee Titans, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons have all been connected to him since he was fired.
The Titans, according to NFL Network, are scheduled to speak with Stefanski Saturday, Jan. 10. There’s been no word yet on when the Giants and/or Falcons will set up their first interview with him.
Original franchise
- Paul Brown, 1946-62 (AAFC and NFL), 158-48-8, 14 playoffs, seven championships
- Blanton Collier, 1963-70, 76-34-2, seven playoffs, one championship
- Nick Skorich, 1971-74, 30-24-2, two playoffs
- Forrest Gregg, 1975-77, 18-23
- Dick Modzelewski, 1977 (interim), 0-1
- Sam Rutigliano, 1978-84, 47-50, two playoffs
- Marty Schottenheimer, 1984-88, 44-27, four playoffs
- Bud Carson, 1989-90, 11-13-1, one playoff
- Jim Shofner, 1990 (interim), 1-6
- Bill Belichick, 1991-95, 36-44, one playoff
Expansion era
- Chris Palmer, 1999-2000, 5-27
- Butch Davis, 2001-04, 24-35, one playoff
- Terry Robiskie, 2004 (interim), 1-4
- Romeo Crennel, 2005-08, 24-40
- Eric Mangini, 2009-10, 10-22
- Pat Shurmur, 2011-12, 9-23
- Rob Chudzinski, 2013, 4-12
- Mike Pettine, 2014-15, 10-22
- Hue Jackson, 2016-18, 3-36-1
- Gregg Williams, 2018 (interim), 5-3
- Freddie Kitchens, 2019, 6-10
- Kevin Stefanski, 2020-25, 45-56, two playoffs
When can Browns start interviews with candidates on non-playoff teams?
- If the candidate’s team did not make the playoffs, then a team must wait three days following the conclusion of their Week 18 game. So if they played Jan. 4, they’re restricted from talking to them until Jan. 7.
When can Browns start interviews with candidates on playoff teams?
- If the candidate is on the No. 1-seeded team in either the AFC or NFC, which have first-round byes, virtual interviews may begin three days after the conclusion of their Week 18 game and must end before the start of the wild card round. For someone on the Seattle Seahawks, for instance, those virtual interviews can start Jan. 6 but must end before the wild card games Jan. 10. For those on the Denver Broncos, those virtual interviews can start Jan. 7 but must end before the games on Jan. 10.
- If the candidate is coaching in the wild card round Jan. 10-12, virtual interviews may begin three days after the team’s wild card game and must happen before the end of the NFL divisional round, which is Jan. 17-18.
When can the Browns do in-person interviews with head-coaching candidates?
- Team can conduct in-person or virtual interviews with candidates whose seasons have ended once the divisional round ends, starting Jan. 19.
- Candidates from four teams who are playing in the AFC and NFC championships games are off-limits to have their intial interview with a team until that team’s season has concluded, with no exceptions allowed for team to voluntarily allow coaches to interview.
- The Browns could, during the bye week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl that runs Jan. 26-Feb. 1, conduct a second interview, either in-person or virtual, with candidates on the two Super Bowl participants. The Browns must notify the candidate’s current team.
- There can be no contact with a candidate whose team is participating in the Super Bowl from the start of Super Bowl week until the day after the game, which is Monday, Feb. 9.
- The NFL prohibits contract signings, contract announcements or contract agreements until the candidate’s current season is completed.
What if the Browns are looking at coaches not employed by NFL teams?
- There are no restrictions for candidates who are currently not employed by NFL teams. That includes all college coaches as well as unemployed NFL coaches like Mike McCarthy or Brian Daboll.
How must the Browns abide by the Rooney Rule?
- In order to be in compliance with the Rooney Rule, which was initially adopted in 2003 and has since been strengthened, the Browns must conduct an in-person interview with at least two candidates from outside of the organization who are persons of color and/or women.
- Virtual interviews with candidates do not satisfy Rooney Rule requirements, per the NFL.
Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry on decision to fire Kevin Stefanski
Andrew Berry talks about the decision to fire head coach Kevin Stefanski during a media availability Monday Jan. 5.
Chris Easterling can be reached at [email protected]. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
