Rams pass game specialist Nate Scheelhaase will receive an interview from the Browns for their head coach job.
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Takeaways from Browns coaching search …
1. The Browns conducted five interviews in the first week of their coaching search. They are lining up at least three more this week, and they’re awaiting word from John Harbaugh if they’ve satisfied his pre-conditions for an interview. Jay Glazer of FOX reported that Harbaugh intends to pare his list of interested teams to three or four this week. Even if Harbaugh grants the Browns an interview, their search can’t be concluded until they do in-person interviews with two minority candidates outside their organization. Their interview with Seattle defensive coordinator Aden Durde was done via Zoom, so he would have to be interviewed a second time to comply with the Rooney Rule. Another minority candidate would be Mike McDaniel, whom the Browns intend to interview this week, per reports. They also have an interview lined up with Rams pass game specialist Nate Scheelhaase. The league is being very vigilant in monitoring compliance with the Rooney Rule this year after the Patriots conducted two sham interviews last year to fast-track the hire of Mike Vrabel.
2. The Browns’ completed interviews were with Durde; Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees; Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz; Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher; and Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Besides McDaniel and Scheelhaase, they have put in a request for Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
3. The Green Bay coaching situation could affect the pursuit of Harbaugh. If the Packers separate from Matt LaFleur after their playoff loss to the Bears, it has been speculated that Green Bay would join the Giants and Falcons as perhaps Harbaugh’s preferred destinations. The Browns are considered in the running but behind those three teams. But remember that the Browns were the first team eliminated by Deshaun Watson during his auction in 2022, until they outbid Atlanta, Carolina and New Orleans with a fully guaranteed $230 million contract.
4. The only two coaching free agents with a Super Bowl victory and over .600 career win percentage are Harbaugh and Mike McCarthy. So far the Browns have not expressed interest in McCarthy, who was 174-112-2 (.608) in 13 years with Green Bay and five with Dallas. McCarthy reportedly will interview with the Giants this week, and possibly two other undisclosed teams. McCarthy interviewed with the Browns in 2020 when they hired Kevin Stefanski.
5. All has been quiet on the college front. The Browns were reported to be one of the teams to inquire about Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman until Freeman received an adjustment to his contract. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported this weekend that NFL teams have not lost interest in Freeman despite his public commitment to Notre Dame. Another college coach to watch could be Steve Sarkisian of Texas, who was offensive coordinator with the Falcons in 2017-18 and, of course, is Arch Manning’s current college coach. College coaches are very nervous about their names being associated with other possible jobs, especially with the transfer portal open through January 16.
6. Here are the most current lists of head coach interviews completed or requested among the eight teams with openings:
* Arizona Cardinals (8): Thomas Browns, Patriots passing game coordinator; Jeff Hafley, Packers defensive coordinator; Vance Joseph, Broncos defensive coordinator; Klint Kubiak, Seahawks offensive coordinator; Raheem Morris, former Falcons head coach; Matt Nagy, Chiefs offensive coordinator; Robert Saleh, 49ers defensive coordinator; Anthony Weaver, Dolphins defensive coordinator.
* Atlanta Falcons (5): Durde; Ejiro Evero, Panthers defensive coordinator; Hafley; Kubiak; Kevin Stefanski, former Browns head coach; Weaver.
* Baltimore Ravens (9): Joe Brady, Bills offensive coordinator; Brian Flores, Vikings defensive coordinator; Joseph; Kliff Kingsbury, former Commanders offensive coordinator; Kubiak; Nagy; Stefanski; Weaver; Davis Webb, Broncos quarterback coach.
* Cleveland Browns (8): Durde; McDaniel; Minter; Monken; Pitcher; Rees; Scheelhaase; Schwartz.
* Las Vegas Raiders (6): Hafley; Joseph; Kubiak; Nagy; Scheelhaase; Webb.
* Miami Dolphins (4): Hafley; Kubiak; Saleh; Chris Shula, Rams defensive coordinator.
* New York Giants (8): Lou Anarumo, Colts defensive coordinator; Joseph; Kubiak; McCarthy; Morris; Antonio Pierce, former Raiders head coach; Darren Rizzi, Broncos assistant head coach; Stefanski.
* Tennessee Titans (16): Anarumo; Jason Garrett, former Cowboys head coach; Hafley; Joseph; Kingsbury; McCarthy; Mike McCoy, Titans interim head coach; McDaniel; Minter; Morris; Nagy; Saleh; Shula; Arthur Smith, Steelers offensive coordinator; Steve Spagnuolo, Chiefs defensive coordinator; Stefanski.