Cleveland Browns second-round in person interview tracker

As the coaching carousel makes another rotation with the Falcons hiring former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, seven NFL teams now remain without a head coach.

Of those seven, the Cleveland Browns are professing through their coaching search with five candidates set for second-round in-person interviews.

According to multiple reports from Mary Kay Cabot on X, the Browns continue their process for the team’s new head coach, with a group of previous members of the coaching staff, young offensive coaches from around the league and one current Cleveland coordinator making it through to the second round.

Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz

Beginning the list is Jim Schwartz, who is set for his second in-person interview Monday. Promoting Schwartz to the head coach would provide the Browns with stability, something the team experienced under Stefanski, and prevent Schwartz from leaving the organization altogether. In recent years, Schwartz has been one of the rare bright spots on Cleveland’s coaching staff.

In Schwartz’s first season with Cleveland, his unit allowed the fewest yards in 2023 and finished No. 4 in that category in 2025.

The 59-year-old defensive coordinator has five years of NFL head coaching experience, taking over as the Detroit Lions’ head coach in 2009, after the team went 0-16. Schwartz helped slowly revive the team, who went 2-14 in his first season, before winning six games the next and 10 games in 2011, along with a playoff berth. The Lions fired Schwartz in 2013 after the team went 7-9.

Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken

Todd Monken should be a familiar name for Browns fans. He served as the offensive coordinator for the team in 2019 and has been the Ravens’ offensive coordinator since 2023. Monken brings a wealth of experience, with a resume matching Schwartz’s, minus the head coaching experience in the NFL.

Although Monken would be a relatively safe choice for Cleveland’s organization, league sources expect Baltimore’s offensive coordinator to follow former Ravens head coach Jim Harbuagh to the Giants. Nevertheless, Cleveland is still set to have a second interview with Monken on Tuesday.

As the Ravens offensive coordinator, Monken posted two impressive back-to-back seasons, with his unit ranking No. 6 in total offense in 2023 and No. 1 in 2024. Following the league-leading season, injuries and inconsistent play resulted in Baltimore’s offense earning 5,647 all-purpose yards, No. 16 in the league.

Former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel

Mike McDaniel is the only candidate in the second interview process for the Browns who was a head coach in 2025. At the beginning of his tenure in Miami, McDaniel was touted as a highly intelligent offensive mind, and for good reason, with the Dolphins being a highly productive offensive team during his first two years.

The next two seasons for McDaniel weren’t as great, as the team finished with losing records in consecutive years. Despite that, McDaniel’s regular season coaching record is positive, at 35-33.

The former Dolphins coach would give the Browns, on-paper, a solution to their struggling offense, and he isn’t unfamiliar with the organization as well. McDaniel was the wide receivers coach for the franchise in 2013 and will return to Cleveland Wednesday for his second interview.

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski

The Jacksonville Jaguars surged in 2025, flipping their record from the previous season, finishing 13-4. This turnaround came due in large part to quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s elite play down the stretch, which the current Jaguars offensive coordinator played a major role in.

Udinski, whose second interview date has yet to be announced, is a 30-year-old who, despite his minimal experience on NFL coaching staffs, always gets the most out of the offense. Entering the NFL as the Panthers coaching assistant in 2020, Udinski joined the Vikings from 2022 to 2024, working with quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold.

Notably for Darnold, Udinski helped revive the former No. 3 overall pick’s career. Signing Udinski as the next Browns head coach comes with a flurry of risks, but could pay off if he can work alongside quarterback Shedeur Sanders, assuming the Browns keep him as the starter in 2026.

Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase

Similar to Udinski, Nathan Scheelhaase is another young offensive mind in the NFL. After an eight-year stint in the NCAA, Scheelhaase graduated to the NFL, joining the Rams in 2024 as an offensive assistant and passing game specialist.

The Browns have not scheduled Scheelhaase’s second interview because Los Angeles is currently competing in the NFL playoffs. With the least NFL experience, the former Illini quarterback would bring the necessary tools to upgrade Cleveland’s pass, which finished near the bottom in every relevant passing stat.

• Joe Thomas trolled Browns fans with a shocking job announcement
• Former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel lands second interview with Browns
• Grant Udinski lands second interview for Cleveland Browns head coach vacancy
• Should the Browns regret firing Kevin Stefanski after being hired by Falcons?