CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns will welcome their former receivers coach Mike McDaniel back to team headquarters on Monday, a league source told cleveland.com.
McDaniel, 42, will interview Monday for the Browns head coach vacancy just four days after he was fired by the Dolphins. He went 35-34 in his four seasons in Miami, and 0-2 in the playoffs.
The Browns receivers here coach in 2014 under then-offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, McDaniel has long been on the Browns’ radar for his brilliant offensive mind and innovative playcalling.
He’s also interviewing with the Titans and other teams.
Known for his lightning-quick receivers and uptempo schemes, McDaniel is the sixth candidate to interview for the job. The others were Browns offensive coordintor Tommy Rees, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher, Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde and Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
The Browns are also interested in fired Ravens coach John Harbaugh, and could interview him as soon as this week, as cleveland.com has reported. The Browns were one of the original seven teams to call about Harbaugh within the first 45 minutes after he was fired on Tuesday, a source said. He’ll narrow his list of suitors this week and only interview with teams that he believes are a good fit.
He’ll also have a new entry into the sweepstakes if the Packers fire Matt LaFleur following their meltdown in the wild card round, a 31-27 loss to the Bears after leading 21-3 in the first half.
The Browns have also requested interviews with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Rams Pass Game Coordinator Nate Sheelhaase, and will add more to the list including possibly Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
McDaniel, after a 1-6 start this season — including a 31-6 loss to the Browns — rebounded by winning six of his last 10, but it wasn’t enough to save his job.
The Browns got an up-close-and-personal look at McDaniel when he was here under Shanahan and head coach Mike Pettine. That season, with Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel at quarterback, was marked by friction between Shanahan and the front office, namely GM Ray Farmer.
When Shanahan orchestrated his way out of Cleveland after that season, McDaniel left with him, signaling his loyalty to the future head coach of the 49ers.
McDaniel followed Shanahan to Atlanta in 2015 when Shanahan took over as offensive coordinator, and worked as an offensive assistant during the Falcons’ offensive resurgence. The collaboration led to the Falcons’ run to Super Bowl LI following the 2016 season, a campaign in which the offense was praised for its creativity and precision.
When Shanahan was hired as head coach of the 49ers in 2017, McDaniel again went along, initially serving as run game coordinator and working his way up to offensive coordinator. During that time, McDaniel gained a reputation for his offensive genius, with San Francisco consistently ranking among the NFL’s top rushing teams, even while rotating through multiple quarterbacks.
The Dolphins hired McDaniel as head coach in 2022, betting on his ability to maximize a roster built primarily on speed at receiver. The move marked a philosophical shift for the franchise, which had cycled through defensive-minded leadership and conservative offenses.
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. McDaniel is one of the candidates who fits the bill.
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