It has been a week since the Cleveland Browns wrapped up their 2025 season with a win in Cincinnati, though at times it feels like it’s been months.
Cleveland fired coach Kevin Stefanski on Monday of last week, and already, the Browns have conducted at least four interviews for his replacement, including in-house candidates Jim Schwartz and Tommy Rees.
But on Monday, January 12, the team is slated to add a big name to the mix: ex-Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, who was fired on Thursday but is not likely to stay unemployed for long.
That’s according to Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, who wrote on Twitter/X: “Breaking: Former #Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel will interview with the #Browns tomorrow for their head coach vacancy.”
McDaniel is one of two recently fired head coaches who are expected to talk with the Browns about replacing Stefanski. John Harbaugh, who was fired by the Ravens last week, is also reported to have mutual interest on the Browns job.
Browns Could Use Mike McDaniel’s Offensive Chops
McDaniel would make sense for a Browns team badly in need of an offensive makeover after finishing 31st in points scored and 30th in yardage. His reputation as a bright offensive mind has remained even with the struggled the Dolphins had in recent years.
McDaniel, was hired by Miami in 2022, and posted a 35-33 record in four seasons, making a name for himself with his quirky press conferences and pop-culture references. That was endearing when he went 20-14 in his first two seasons, and earned playoff spots in each of those two seasons.
But the Dolphins fell off badly in the past two seasons, going 15-19, before he was fired. His problem in Miami was one he would likely face in Cleveland, too–the Dolphins did not have a reliable quarterback, with oft-injured Tua Tagovailoa under center and playing on a bloated, four-year, $212 million contract. Tagovailoa struggled with concussion issues and played 25 mostly underwhelming games in the last two years.
That’s what ultimately cost McDaniel the job, and the question for both him and the Browns would be whether he could really expect to do much better with Shedeur Sanders or some other underwhelming free-agent option–or with a draft pick. McDaniel will have other options, both as a head coach or, potentially, as an offensive coordinator.
John Harbaugh Still the Big Name
For the Browns, Harbaugh is still likely the name to watch. He is reported to be seeking a $20 million per year salary, which would put him alongside Andy Reid of the Chiefs as the highest paid coach in the NFL.
Harbaugh has not yet begun meeting with teams, but Cabot reported that will begin happening next week, once the contours of what Harbaugh is looking for become more established.
Wrote Cabot: “Harbaugh, the hottest candidate in the search, will narrow his number of interviews before he starts meeting with teams face-to-face next week, a league source told cleveland.com, and some of it will depend on pre-interview discussions between the two parties. The number of teams he’ll meet with hasn’t yet been determined, and will be dictated by the pre-interview diligence.”
