CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns head coach candidate Nate Scheelhouse is free to be hired by them on Monday now that the Rams aren’t going to the Super Bowl.
He’s one of five remaining Browns candidates, and believed to be among the favorites, along with Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
The Rams were eliminated in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday night when they lost 31-27 to the Seahawks.
It means that Scheelhaase, 35, can be hired as early as Monday to replace Kevin Stefanski after the team interviews him for a second time in Los Angeles, providing he beats out his four challengers.
The Browns’ other two candidates are Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken and Commanders running backs coach Anthony Lynn, who interviewed with them for the first time on Saturday night in Florida.
The Browns will also be Rooney Rule compliant after Scheelhaase’s second interview, meaning they will have talked to two diverse candidates in person before making their hire. The first was Lynn.
Heading into Monday’s interview with Scheelhaase, the Browns seemed to be favoring him and Udinski, but Schwartz was also still very much in the mix. The Browns are hoping to possibly pair one of the young, rising offensive stars with Schwartz if they don’t promote him instead.
If they do make Schwartz, 59, their 19th head coach, they could try to hire Scheelhaase or Udinski as offensive coordinator considering that they’re not calling plays for their respective teams.
The Browns have also kept Monken, 59, in the mix in case one of the young offensive assistants didn’t seem ready to lead the team and elevate it to a playoff level.
Regardless of which candidate the Browns decide to hire, they can wrap up their man as early as Monday, and get down to the business of trying to put 8-26 behind them.
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