Browns to interview former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel for HC job

The Cleveland Browns are among the teams expected to pursue former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh after the Browns parted ways with former head coach Kevin Stefanski following the 2025 regular season. 

On Monday, the Browns will meet with a different candidate for their opening. 

Browns to welcome Mike McDaniel back to Cleveland

On Sunday night, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that the Browns will meet with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on Monday. That's hardly surprising, as previous reports revealed that people within the Browns viewed McDaniel as a potential replacement for Stefanski before Stefanski was shown the door. 

McDaniel is quite familiar with Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam. During the 2014 season, McDaniel served as Cleveland's wide receivers coach. More recently, he tallied zero playoff wins over four seasons with the Dolphins. While Miami finished the 2025 campaign with a record of 7-10, the team went from 1-6 to 6-7 under McDaniel during the fall. 

Could Browns choose Mike McDaniel before John Harbaugh makes final decision? 

A report from over the weekend shared that Harbaugh will soon narrow down his options for potential landing spots "to maybe three or four to go interview for rather than all across the board." Additionally, he may want an amount of power that the Haslam family is not prepared to give up. 

Specifically, it's thought Harbaugh could ask to select his own general manager. GM Andrew Berry remains employed by the Browns, and it's unclear how he is viewed by Harbaugh. 

Meanwhile, Cabot added that the Browns "will overhaul their offense in the offseason" and "are looking for a brilliant leader for the unit, either as head coach or coordinator." As things stand on the second Monday of January, Cleveland's next head coach will have to work with a quarterback room occupied by 2025 rookie Shedeur Sanders and veteran Deshaun Watson. 

Sanders was far from elite during his debut pro campaign, while Watson hasn't taken a meaningful snap since he went down with a torn Achilles tendon in October 2024. Watson later had a second surgery after he reinjured the Achilles during his recovery.