The Browns are in the midst of their search for the next head coach.
As of Jan. 12, they have conducted interviews with six candidates for the position. Stay up to date with the Browns' coaching search as Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry, as well as other members of the front office, work to select the next head coach of the Browns.
Mike McDaniel | Interview: Jan. 12
Former position: Dolphins head coach
McDaniel, 42, was first hired as the head coach of the Dolphins in 2022 – his first head coaching job. He finished with a 35-33 record over four seasons with the Dolphins, and Miami made the playoffs in McDaniel's first two seasons as head coach. The postseason appearances in 2022 and 2023 marked Miami's first back-to-back playoff appearances in more than 20 years, dating back to 2000 and 2001. The Dolphins produced a top 10 offense in two consecutive seasons – finishing 6th in 2022 averaging 364.5 yards per game and 1st in 2023 with 401.3 yards per game. They also had a top 10 defense in back-to-back years, finishing 10th with 318.3 yards allowed per game in 2023 and fourth with 314.4 yards allowed per game in 2025.
McDaniel has previous experience with the Browns, as he spent the 2014 season as the wide receivers coach in Cleveland. In his lone season with the Browns, former WR Andrew Hawkins had a career-high 824 yards and undrafted rookie WR Taylor Gabriel had 621 receiving yards, which was the second-highest total in his six-year NFL career. McDaniel's receiver unit helped QB Brian Hoyer post the only 3,000-yard passing season of his career.
He brings 19 years of NFL experience, dating back to 2005 when he served as a coaching intern with the Denver Broncos.
Todd Monken | Interview: Jan. 10
Current position: Ravens offensive coordinator
Monken, 59, has been the Ravens offensive coordinator for three seasons since he joined the coaching staff in 2023. Over his first two years, Monken took the Ravens' offense to an elite level, with the unit ranking first in red zone touchdown percentage at 67.9 percent, rushing yards per game at 172.1 and passer rating at 110.8. The team also ranked second in points per game with 28.4, yards per play at 6.3 and total yards per game with 397.6 during the two-year span. The Ravens then finished the 2025 regular season with the second-best average rushing yards per game at 156.6 yards, as well as 11th in the league averaging 24.9 points per game.
He previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2016-18 before spending one season with the Browns in 2019. While in Cleveland, Monken led a Browns' offense that featured RB Nick Chubb, who produced the league's second-most rushing yards at 1,494 and recorded eight touchdowns. QB Baker Mayfield also threw a single-season career-high 3,827 passing yards, adding 22 touchdowns.
Monken brings 37 seasons of coaching experience, including 11 in the NFL. He has spent seven seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator, and another four as a wide receivers coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also spent 26 years coaching at the collegiate level in a variety of roles, including serving as the head coach of Southern Miss from 2013-15 and the offensive coordinator at the University of Georgia from 2020-22. Monken began his coaching career as a graduate assistant with Grand Valley State from 1989-90. He was also a three-year letterman quarterback at Knox College.
Aden Durde | Interview: Jan. 9
Current position: Seahawks defensive coordinator
Durde, 46, has been the Seahawks defensive coordinator for two seasons since joining the coaching staff in 2024. In his first season as defensive coordinator, Durde helped the development of their defensive unit that finished the season strong, ranking fifth in points allowed per game (18.4), fourth in yards allowed per game (304.8), fifth in first downs (18.1) and sixth in pass defense (205.0) during Weeks 11-18. In 2025, the Seahawks allowed the sixth-fewest total yards per game at 285.6 yards, 10th-fewest passing yards per game at 193.9 and third-fewest rushing yards per game at 91.0 yards. Seattle also allowed the fewest points per game at 17.2 during the 2025 regular season.
He previously spent three seasons with the Cowboys as the defensive line coach from 2021-23. In his first season at the helm of the defensive line, Durde's unit produced 23 sacks and pressured opposing quarterbacks on 237-of-684 opponent dropbacks, the third-most in the league in 2021, per Pro Football Focus. Durde's guidance of the defensive line saw continued success in 2022 as the unit contributed 44 of the defense's 54 sacks on the season.
Durde served as the head of football development at NFLUK from 2015-18, where he helped guide the International Player Pathway program. He also was the defensive coordinator of the London Warriors for six seasons from 2011-16.
Dan Pitcher | Interview: Jan. 9
Current position: Bengals offensive coordinator
Pitcher, 38, has been a member of the Bengals' coaching staff for 10 seasons and finished his second as offensive coordinator. In 2024, Pitcher's first season as offensive coordinator, he helped Cincinnati lead the NFL in passing yards per game at 272.9 yards for the second time in team history since 1975. The Bengals also ranked fifth leaguewide in red zone touchdown percentage (63.9), sixth in scoring at 27.8 points per game and ninth in total yards per contest at 365.5 yards. Then in 2025, the Bengals finished sixth in the league in average passing yards per game at 235.6 yards and 12th in the league in average points per game at 24.4.
He previously coached the quarterbacks from 2020-23. Pitcher served as assistant quarterbacks coach in 2019 and also was charged with leading the team's game clock management efforts. He spent the 2018 season as an offensive assistant with a focus on quarterbacks, after serving as offensive assistant with a focus on wide receivers from 2016-17.
Prior to joining the Bengals, Pitcher spent four seasons in player personnel roles with the Indianapolis Colts. He served as a pro scout from 2014-15, after working as a scouting assistant from 2012-13. With Pitcher on staff, the Colts compiled a 41-23 regular-season record (.641), with three playoff berths and two AFC South championships. Pitcher's responsibilities included advance scouting and evaluation of free agents.
Tommy Rees | Interview: Jan. 8
Current position: Browns offensive coordinator
Rees, 33, initially joined the Browns coaching staff as a tight ends/pass game specialist in 2024 before he was hired as offensive coordinator in 2025. Rees took over playcalling for the Browns in Week 10 and called the plays for the remainder of the 2025 season.
In 2024, TE David Njoku finished in the top 10 in receptions and receiving touchdowns among all NFL tight ends. Njoku led the Browns with five receiving touchdowns and finished second on the team with 64 receptions. TE Jordan Akins finished with a career-high 40 receptions, while adding two scores. Five tight ends spent time on the Browns' active roster and combined for 111 receptions, 953 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024. In the pass game, WR Jerry Jeudy set a franchise record for receptions in a season and finished fifth in team history with 1,229 receiving yards en route to his first career Pro Bowl selection.
Rees previously served as Alabama's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the 2023 season, after spending six seasons as a coach at the University of Notre Dame from 2017-22. He first coached quarterbacks and then became the offensive coordinator in 2020 – a role he held for three seasons.
Jim Schwartz | Interview: Jan. 8
Current position: Browns defensive coordinator
Schwartz, 59, has served as the Browns defensive coordinator for three seasons. He re-joined the organization in 2023 after initially breaking into the NFL as a college/pro scout with the Browns from 1993-95. In his first two seasons as defensive coordinator with Cleveland, the Browns ranked first in the NFL in first downs allowed (556), first in third down percentage (32.6), second in passing yards allowed per game (188.6) and third in total yards allowed per game (306.1). In 2023, the Browns' defense led the NFL in several categories including total defense (270.2 yards per game), passing defense (164.7 yards per game), third down percentage (67-of-230 for 29.1 percent) and first downs allowed (253). The team's 270.2 net yards allowed per game were the fewest allowed in the NFL since the 2014 Seahawks (267.1). Schwartz was then named the 2023 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year after his first season as defensive coordinator.
Schwartz has been a defensive coordinator for 17 seasons, previously serving as defensive coordinator with the Titans (2001-08), Bills (2014) and Eagles (2016-20). He helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LII, while leading the NFL in rush defense that season (79.2 yards per game). During his time as a defensive coordinator, he helped eight different defensive linemen reach double-digit sacks in a season (10 total times).
Schwartz also brings experience as a head coach, serving as the head coach for the Detroit Lions from 2009-13. He directed the Lions to a 10-6 record in 2011, marking Detroit's first postseason appearance since 1999. In 2011, the Lions' defense led the NFL and set a franchise record with seven return touchdowns (five interceptions and two fumbles).
