Klint Kubiak is the son of Gary Kubiak, who tutored Kevin Stefanski with Minnesota in the offense Stefanski has run with the Browns.
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Takeaways from Browns doings …
Klint Kubiak, 37, the fifth candidate interviewed for Browns offensive coordinator on Monday, would appear to be the most qualified.
* He’s the oldest son of Gary Kubiak, who mentored Kevin Stefanski in the pivotal second year of Stefanski’s stint as Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator.
After one year with Stefanski as Mike Zimmer’s coordinator, Zimmer called on Gary Kubiak as an consultant to train Stefanski on Kubiak's renowned offensive system. As a result, Stefanski grew exponentially as an offensive coach and was hired as Browns coach in 2020.
* Klint broke in as offensive quality control coach with the Vikings when Stefanski was quarterbacks coach. He then expanded his horizons with coaching stints at Kansas and then the Denver Broncos before returning to the Vikings as Stefanski’s quarterbacks coach.
When Stefanski took the Browns’ job, Gary Kubiak agreed to be Vikings coordinator for one season, during which he groomed his son to take over in 2021.
* After Zimmer was fired, Clint moved on to Denver for one year, which was a disaster for all involved under Nathaniel Hackett, and then decompressed the following year in San Francisco under Kyle Shanahan. Clint was named offensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints in 2024 and had some early success before injuries felled quarterbacks Derek Carr and Taysom Hill.
The feeling is that Stefanski might want to take back play-calling because the Browns want to bring back the Stefanski play-action passing game.
Klint Kubiak reportedly will interview in Seattle on Tuesday for the Seahawks' offensive coordinator position. The job would include play-calling chores because Seattle's coach, Mike Macdonald, is a defensive-minded coach.
So Stefanski might have to cede play-calling to Kubiak to get him. But Stefanski's familiarity and respect for Klint might persuade him to give Kubiak play-calling. That would continue Stefanski's evolution as a CEO coach on game days.
The other candidates interviewed by the Browns are in-house candidate Tommy Rees, who coached tight ends in 2024; Darrell Bevell, whose 25 years as an NFL assistant include five with Minnesota when Stefanski was climbing the ranks; Toledo native and Atlanta Falcons tight ends coach Kevin Koger; and Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach Charles London, who held the same position under Mike Vrabel with Tennessee in 2023.
If Kubiak or Bevell are hired, I could see the Browns promoting Rees to QB coach. A decision could come this week.
Vrabel introduced as Patriots coach
At some point during the 2024 season, the Haslams decided they wouldn’t make a head coach change and replace Stefanski with Vrabel, the Browns personnel and coaching consultant, So they freed Vrabel from his consultant contract to interview for head coaching jobs.
At that point, Patriots owner Robert Kraft abruptly fired Jared Mayo as the one-year replacement for Bill Belichick. Kraft conducted two quick, token interviews with minority coaches who had been out of the NFL for two seasons to comply with the Rooney Rule, and then hired Vrabel.
At his introduction in Foxboro, MA, on Monday, Vrabel reflected on his one season with the Browns. He was a hands-on assistant coach from training camp to the 17th week of the regular season, working with linebackers early and then tight ends and offensive linemen as the season progressed.
“One, I realized that I missed it with everything that I had in my soul, that I missed having the opportunity to lead, to help put a team together, a staff together, that I missed that,” Vrabel said. “But I also embraced helping out the players and the younger players. That allowed me more time to try to develop younger players that were on the practice squad, whether that be with the tight ends or the offensive line.
“I really enjoyed Kevin's idea of putting a defensive coach or what would seem to be a defensive coach with the offense. I'm sure, if you ask people in Tennessee, they would think I was probably the third or fourth offensive line coach as much time as I spent in there, but I know how important it is to a football team and to an offense. So really enjoyed getting to know those players and teaching them and helping the staff, helping the young coaches.
“It just reminded me of not forgetting all the small, little details that are critical in coaching and teaching. To be able to work with young coaches and help them prepare, interview them, have mock interviews, so they can develop.”
A Browns source told me in August that he believed Vrabel would take Rees with him to his eventual next job. But reports in Boston are that Vrabel will tab former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels for a third stint with the club as offensive coordinator.
Help from Up North
The third annual effort under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to beef up the defensive line kicked off on Monday when the Browns signed defensive tackle Ralph Holley of the CFL Toronto Argonauts.
Holley confirmed the signing with a post on X that included a photo of him signing the contract in Browns offices.
Holley led CFL interior linemen with eight sacks in 2024.
Holley, 25, played collegiately at Western Michigan. After being undrafted and unsigned by NFL teams, he played one year with Philadelphia of the United Football League and then transferred to the Canadian League. He is listed as 6-1 and 285 pounds.
The Browns eternally are looking for a defensive tackle that can rush the passer. They are deliberating the futures with the club of tackles Dalvin Tomlinson, Maurice Hurst and Shelby Harris.