Josh McDaniels has completed his interview with the Cleveland Browns.
The New England Patriots offensive coordinator finally had his interview for the Browns’ head coaching vacancy on Friday. He was the eighth and final candidate interviewed by the Browns.
According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, McDaniels left the Browns’ facility towards the evening hours on Friday. His interview lasted roughly seven hours.
The other seven candidates to previously interview for the Browns’ head coaching vacancy are as follows: Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski.
Current Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy also interviewed for the job before he was hired by the Cowboys. So long story short, McDaniels is competing with six other candidates for the Browns’ head coaching job.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, McDaniels and Stefanski have emerged as the favorites for the job.
Multiple people around the league, including some who are involved in the Browns’ process, believe Josh McDaniels or Kevin Stefanski will be Cleveland’s next coach. But I’m told the Browns entered search with open mind and want to interview everyone before making decision.
While the Browns seem set on either McDaniels or Stefanski as the franchise’s new head coach, don’t expect a quick decision to be made.
Contrary to a previous report that had stated the Browns would make a head coaching decision by Saturday, new reports from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network and Mary Kay Cabot indicate that Cleveland will take its time in deciding their new head coach.
In fact, Cabot states that the Browns may even wait until the end of the postseason — which would be after Feb. 2.
The #Browns are committed to their process and taking their time with the coaching search. To that end, no firm decision is expected today despite Josh McDaniels and his wife being in the building. The coaching search rolls on…
Browns Have Offensive Talent For McDaniels
The Browns are coming off of a dismal 6-10 season with Freddie Kitchens as the head coach. However, they entered the 2019 season with tons of promise after a surprising 7-8-1 campaign under then-rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield.
While Cleveland’s record may have been underwhelming last season, they have loads of young offensive talent in Mayfield, Odell Beckham Jr., Nick Chubb and Jarvis Landry. Whether it’s McDaniels or another candidate that emerges as the Browns’ head coaching hire, they will be tasked with trying to get Mayfield to limit his turnovers.
The 24-year-old quarterback ranked second in the NFL last season with 21 interceptions after ranking fifth in the NFL during his rookie season with 14 interceptions — fifth-most in the league.
McDaniels — who has served as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator for the last eight seasons and 12 of the last 15 — might be the cure to Mayfield’s struggles.
How Would Mayfield and McDaniels Fit Together in Cleveland?
Obviously, Mayfield has talent — he was the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft — and McDaniels has a proven pedigree as an offensive mastermind.
How would these two fit together?
According to The Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy — who has witnessed McDaniels and QB Tom Brady work together — thinks that a McDaniels-Mayfield pairing would work well.
Via WKYC:
“He’s a substantial candidate,” Shaughnessy told “Baskin and Phelps” on Cleveland’s 92.3 The Fan Friday. “He’s a high-profile guy. You’ve got the quarterback. That’s a good future.”
McDaniels’ last head coaching gig was with the Denver Broncos during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. McDaniels fizzled as the head coach of the Broncos, going just 11-17 before he was fired in the middle of the 2010 season.
Now that 10 years has passed since he last served as a head coach, one would have to assume that McDaniels — if hired by Cleveland — will do better this time around.
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Major Update on Patriots’ Josh McDaniels’ Interview With Browns