Browns head coach search: College coach interview could be next step or already occurred

At a base level, the Cleveland Browns are behind other teams that had head coaching searches this offseason and seem completely fine with it. When soon-to-be Los Angeles Chargers OC Mike McDaniel pulled out of the Browns search, as he has now done with the Baltimore Ravens (before they hired Jesse Minter) and the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland only had one reported Rooney Rule candidate in their pipeline, Nate Scheelhaase.

Browns head coach search: College coach interview could be next step or already occurred

Scheelhaase, along with Grant Udinksi, reportedly had “excellent” first interviews, so the team seems to have prioritized getting second interviews completed with both before moving forward. They also did not react, at least publicly or based on reports, to McDaniel’s decision by scheduling any new candidates for in-person interviews.

While fans and media seem to be lamenting Cleveland’s process, the Browns do not seem to be acting with any urgency. Could they have already interviewed at least one other candidate who would fulfill the Rooney Rule? A college coach, who wouldn’t want his name known due to recruiting and NIL-related issues, could complete an interview with the team having no requirement to announce that it happened.

Jonathan Jones noted that a college coach is an option, along with noting that Scheelhaase is a strong candidate for the job:

We have seen college coaches interview in secret before; perhaps Cleveland’s lack of urgency to add another candidate after McDaniel’s exit indicates they have done that as well or plan to.