The latest Cleveland Browns news and notes from around the NFL in the Sunday Dawg Chow.
It is hard to believe, but after today’s games close out the Divisional Round of the playoffs, there will only be three NFL games left to go.
That is always a sobering realization at this time of year, which is also fitting for Dry January. After months of games spread across multiple days of the week, we are down to the AFC and NFC Championship Games and then the Super Bowl.
Fear not, Browns fans, because even though Cleveland’s No. 1 sports team once again opted out of the postseason, there is still plenty going on with the team.
This week will bring more interviews for the head coach position, the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl are fast approaching, then there is NFL free agency, and everyone’s favorite three-day party, the 2026 NFL Draft.
Before you know it, those orange helmets will be stretching on the practice fields in Berea for the start of training camp and another exciting season of Cleveland Browns football!
There are still a few things to take care of first, so let’s open the day with the latest edition of the Sunday Dawg Chow.
Dawgs By Nature:
- Browns head coach search: History says hiring DC Jim Schwartz is a bad idea (Jared Mueller) – The Cleveland Browns plan to give defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz a second interview for the vacant head coach position. But history shows that hiring your own coordinator may not be such a good idea.
- Lawsuit presents another potential bump in Browns draft plans (Thomas Moore) – Mississippi QB Trinidad Chambliss is fighting to stay in school, which thins out an already thin draft class.
- Cleveland Browns fans seem fine with the team steering clear of John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin (Chris Pokorny) – Cleveland fans never got too invested in one of the former AFC North coaches landing here.
- Patriots HC Mike Vrabel credits former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski for ‘many’ things that led to success in New England (Jared Mueller) – The Cleveland Browns got one year with New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel, but Kevin Stefanski clearly made an impact.
Cleveland Browns:
- Jim Schwartz is the Browns’ safest path forward, but is safe the correct path? (cleveland.com) – What if the Browns went through all of this just to land back on Jim Schwartz?
- Browns are between QB and a hard place. With options shaky, so is any plan for success (The Athletic) – Even before choosing their next coach and before settling on a quarterback for next year, the Cleveland Browns have an important question to answer as they continue sweeping up the pieces from two fairly dark seasons. Who do they want to be? And what is the timeline to get there?
- Grant Udinski is 9th to interview for job, would be youngest coach in NFL history (Browns Zone) – Anyone wondering why the Browns would consider a 30-year-old who’s been an offensive coordinator for only a season to be their head coach just needs to listen to the people who’ve been around him most.
- Browns coaching search from Schwartz to Udinski (Terry Pluto) – Talkin’ to myself as the Browns are one of eight teams still looking for a head coach:
NFL:
- Texans’ Ryans, Pats’ Vrabel have turned around former teams (ESPN) – During DeMeco Ryans’ first season as coach of the Houston Texans, he was unexpectedly stopped by a fan in a grocery store. The exchange was brief but memorable. The fan told Ryans that he had started watching Texans football again. He was drawn back by the success and renewed energy the former Texans linebacker had brought to Houston.
- Aaron Rodgers not expected to return to Steelers following Mike Tomlin stepping down (NFL.com) – Whoever becomes the next Pittsburgh Steelers head coach will likely have a big quarterback void to fill. Aaron Rodgers is not expected to return to Pittsburgh in the wake of Mike Tomlin stepping down, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Saturday on NFL GameDay Morning.
- The Commanders’ new stadium could evoke memories of RFK (Washington Post) – The first conceptual renderings of the new stadium for the Washington Commanders showed a sweeping roof, a grand colonnade, and plenty of callbacks to RFK Stadium.
- Kevin Stefanski-Falcons rumor is troubling development for Ravens and Titans (The Sporting News) – The Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons are all vying for the services of former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. While there are more than just those three teams interested, those three are reportedly the most likely landing spots for Stefanski.
Category: General Sports
