The Cleveland Browns are one of 10 NFL teams who moved on from their head coaches this cycle. Of those 10 openings, half have hired new head coaches since the conclusion of the regular season. The Browns are one of the five that have not, though they have been busy on the interview front. After moving on from two-time AP Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski, the Browns are close to finding his replacement.
On Sunday, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed that the Browns have scheduled an interview with Rams passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase for Monday. This is in addition to the interview they just completed on Saturday night with Commanders run game coordinator Anthony Lynn.
Scheelhaase has been busy this cycle, interviewing with the Browns, Steelers, Raiders, and Ravens so far — and that’s on top of his ongoing duties in Los Angeles. The Rams are set to take on the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game, and should they win, it would mean Scheelhaase will be busy with his current team for another two weeks.
The Cleveland Browns Have a Dilemma at Quarterback
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 14: Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns looks on during the first quarter of a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Last year, the Browns drafted two quarterbacks: Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel in the third round, and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders in the fifth. Once seen as a potential first-round pick, Sanders fell dramatically on draft day for reasons still not entirely clear. Both rookie passers were started a stretch of the season in Cleveland, though neither established himself as the clear starter for the Browns moving forward.
Of the two, Sanders had the marginally better season, throwing for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns to 10 interceptions, all while completing 56.6 percent of his passes. He did add 169 rushing yards and a touchdown, but he also took 23 sacks, a truly astronomical number despite the poor state of the Browns’ offensive line.
Meanwhile, Gabriel threw for 937 yards and seven touchdowns to just two interceptions, completing 59.5 percent of his passes and taking 19 sacks. Neither quarterback inspired a ton of confidence moving forward, although Cleveland’s offensive infrastructure left much to be desired, with the league’s worst receiving corps and an aging, ineffective offensive line.
Complicating matters is the fact that this upcoming quarterback class is subpar. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick to the Raiders, but after him, it gets thin quickly. If the Browns want to draft a quarterback in this class, there’s no guarantee they’d be drafting a better prospect than Sanders or Gabriel.
Former Cleveland Browns HC Kevin Stefanski Already Has a New Job
It didn’t take long for Stefanski to land on his feet. Once he was fired by the Browns, he immediately became one of the top names on the head coaching market. Former Ravens HC John Harbaugh was quickly scooped up by the Giants, and shortly after that the Falcons moved to ink Stefanski to a deal.
Time will tell if the Browns made the right choice in moving on from Stefanski. The league certainly thinks Stefanski wasn’t to blame for Cleveland’s lack of success, but sometimes even good coaches need a change of scenery. Perhaps this will be good for both the Browns and Stefanski, in time.
Browns Set 2nd Interview Date for Rams Coach Ahead of NFC Championship Game