Kevin Stefanski didn’t stay on the market long. He landed another head coaching job in about two weeks. But for the Cleveland Browns, things haven’t moved nearly as fast.
The Browns are now in the third week of their latest coaching search, and a hire doesn’t look close. Part of the delay comes from an issue the team still hasn’t cleared. Andrew Berry and the front office haven’t met a key requirement tied to filling the vacant position.
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Nine candidates have already been interviewed. The Browns are preparing to begin second-round meetings with a smaller group. Even so, the Browns are still out of compliance with the NFL’s Rooney Rule.
Right now, Rams passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase is the only candidate who qualifies. Cleveland wants to move forward, but the process hit a snag.
“If #Browns decide to hire Nate Sheelhaase they can just hire him next week. If it is Grant Udinski, they’ll need to interview another minority candidate in person to satisfy the Rooney Rule, hence the chance of adding another name to the mix,” 92.3 The Fan’s Daryl Ruiter shared.
If #Browns decide to hire Nate Sheelhaase they can just hire him next week. If it is Grant Udinski, they’ll need to interview another minority candidate in person to satisfy the Rooney Rule, hence the chance of adding another name to the mix https://t.co/mwVSc4wnEq
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) January 21, 2026
League rules are clear on the process. NFL teams must interview at least two minority candidates for any open head coach position. Those meetings have to happen in person, along with GM interviews.
That puts Cleveland in a delicate spot. Fans are already anxious, hoping the next set of decisions doesn’t repeat past mistakes. Too many moves before this ended with Kevin Stefanski losing his job and another rebuild starting from scratch.
Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam watches as tight end David Njoku (85) runs routes during practice at minicamp June 10, 2025, in Berea.
The Browns have lived through several frustrating seasons where even sniffing the playoffs felt out of reach. The league kept getting tougher.
The 2025 season summed it up pretty well. Myles Garrett delivered a historic season and broke the single-season sack record, but the offense struggled so badly it wiped out any defensive edge.
If this hire doesn’t land right, Cleveland might be stuck watching that same movie again.
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