Could Brian Flores enter the Browns' head coaching search? If not, why not?
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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 and other NFL happenings …
It has been speculated that if the Browns – or any team – hired a minority as head coach, they could do so without having to interview a second minority candidate to comply with the Rooney Rule. In other words, the second in-person interview requirement would be waived.
This is not true.
“No,” texted Brian McCarthy, NFL VP of communications, in reply to my question. “Clubs seeking to fill an open head coach position must conduct an in-person interview with at least two external candidates who are persons of color and/or women for the position.”
The issue arose because of the withdrawal of Mike McDaniel as a candidate. McDaniel, who is biracial and qualifies as a minority candidate, canceled his in-person interview on Wednesday to accept the offensive coordinator position with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The only other minority candidate in the Browns’ search scheduled for an in-person interview is Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase. His interview will be scheduled next week, regardless of the outcome of the NFC title game involving the Rams and Seahawks.
Speculation was that if the Browns were convinced Scheelhaase was their guy, they could hire him without interviewing a second minority. That is not possible. Also, if Scheelhaase emerges as the Browns’ top choice, they could not negotiate a contract with him until the Rams’ season is over, which conceivably could be as late as February 8 if they make it to the Super Bowl.
So a new minority candidate must emerge and be interviewed in-person before anyone can be hired.
The Browns have conducted in-person interviews with Jim Schwartz and former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is scheduled for Thursday and Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski is up on Friday.
Minter also is on the radar of the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Arizona Cardinals.
Udinski has an interview scheduled with the Buffalo Bills.
Whither Brian Flores?
Flores was considered a viable candidate for Browns head coach when their search began, but so far he has not been contacted.
Flores was interviewed for Browns defensive coordinator in 2023 when they hired Schwartz. Flores took the same position with the Minnesota Vikings. On Wednesday, Flores and the Vikings agreed to a contract extension that would keep him as DC if he isn't hired as a head coach.
Flores has done in-person interviews with the Steelers and Ravens. He was linked to the Las Vegas Raiders when the season ended, via the Tom Brady-New England Patriots former association, but so far he has not interviewed with them.
Despite a losing record in Minnesota this season, Flores’ defense ranked third in yards allowed, seventh in points allowed, and fourth in sacks.
Flores was 24-25 as Miami Dolphins head coach from 2019-21. He was fired for not working “collaboratively,” according to owner Stephen Ross in reports at the time.
In 2022, Flores filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL, the New York Giants and the Denver Broncos for alleged discriminatory hiring practices. In the lawsuit, Flores claimed Ross offered him $100,000 for every loss in 2019 as Ross wanted to tank for the No. 1 pick in the draft to select Joe Burrow. Flores rejected the offer.
The civil lawsuit is tied up in the appeals process. The NFL wants Flores’ complaint handled through its arbitrary hearing process and has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to block a jury trial.
It’s improbable Flores would agree to a Browns interview after not being on their search list from the outset.
An interesting exchange occurred on the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show on YouTube on Wednesday regarding Flores. Former Browns head coach Mike Pettine, who worked alongside Flores for three years with the Vikings, was asked to give his thoughts on Flores.
“Probably not many that I would prefer to share,” Pettine responded. “I mean, we didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, and that’s why I spent this past year on offense. I was there in ’23 and ’24 on defense, so … um … I’ll take the high road on that one.”
Baker’s chip
Baker Mayfield revived a private feud with Kevin Stefanski when he responded to a social media post on X by D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Stefanski, who quickly found a new job as coach of the Atlanta Falcons after his firing by the Browns, now will play against Mayfield’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice a year as NFC South rivals.
Ledbetter posted:
“#Falcons’ Kevin Stefanski had a dumpster fire at quarterback in Cleveland -- Baker Mayfield and Deshaun Watson failed, which started a chain reaction to 11 other starters. QB Shedeur Sanders closed out last season with seven starts.”
Mayfield tagged it with the comment:
“Failed is quite the reach pal. Still waiting on a text/call from him after I got shipped off like a piece of garbage. Can’t wait to see you twice a year, Coach.”
My thoughts on this exchange:
* Despite all the talk of Mayfield “maturing” through his NFL travails and becoming a father for the first time as he approached the age of 30, Baker is still Baker. He is fueled by any and all perceived slights and adds them to the giant chip on his shoulder. He neither forgives nor forgets.
* Mayfield certainly didn’t “fail” in Cleveland. I always contended he overachieved. I consider his demise with the Browns an organizational failure.
* I find it interesting after all he’s been through since he was traded to Carolina in 2022 for a fifth-round draft pick – released by Carolina at his own request after a 1-5 record, then signed by Sean McVay and the Rams and went 1-3 with them, then signed by the Bucs in 2023 for $4 million, leading them to a wild-card berth and earning a three-year contract for $100 million, and then another wild-card berth and division title – after all of that, his experience with the Browns still lives in his head.