Though some may not have agreed with the decision, the Cleveland Browns moved on from Kevin Stefanski after six seasons on Monday.
Who are the names that could man the sidelines for the Brownies in 2026? Here are seven intriguing fits.
Who Are Some Potential Browns’ 2026 Head Coaching Candidates?
While Stefanski’s Browns made the playoffs twice in his six-year tenure, the team is still searching for an answer at quarterback after jettisoning Baker Mayfield, Jacoby Brissett, Jameis Winston, Joe Flacco, and others. All in all, 13 different starting quarterbacks rotated under center in the Stefanski era.
Therefore, Cleveland is considering building a staff to develop what appears to be an emerging core of young talent while addressing a quarterback room that currently has Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders as potential starters.
Jim Schwartz, Defensive Coordinator (Cleveland Browns)
For a team that finished 5-12, there’s definitely an in-house replacement for Stefanski that makes some sense.
Jim Schwartz has had the Browns’ defense ranked fifth in defensive EPA per play allowed (-0.09)Â since the start of last year, and Cleveland was sixth in PFSN’s Defense Impact (DEFi) this past season. Because of their own inept offense, that hasn’t translated to scoring defense, but there’s no doubt Schwartz’s unit has held serve.
Schwartz went 29-52 with the Lions in five seasons as a head coach. Still, he’s now made consecutive successful stops in Philadelphia and Cleveland as a defensive coordinator, and Myles Garrett just set the season record for sacks (23) under his watch.
He might also get interviews for other head coaching positions. If the Browns promote Schwartz, their defense should remain strong, but the offensive coordinator position will be a pivotal hire.
Mike McCarthy, Former Head Coach (Dallas Cowboys)
The Browns are in desperate need of stability, even if a Super Bowl is extremely out of reach. Mike McCarthy is as stable as it gets.
McCarthy’s exodus from Dallas at the end of last year had to do with a 1-3 postseason record more than a 49-35 record in the regular season. Most of the damage to that record came in a 2024 campaign where the team went 7-10 as Dak Prescott played just eight games.
Of course, McCarthy got that job after a 125-77-2 tenure with the Packers, which included a Super Bowl win in 2010.
Without a great fit, McCarthy sat out last year’s wave of hiring, but several teams just can’t get their head coaching position right, like the Raiders, Jets, and Browns. He’s won and improved the team’s quarterback play at every stop, so that has to be appealing to those teams.
“I am warming to the idea of a team of Mike McCarthy and Jim Schwartz,” – @TonyGrossi‘s thoughts on the next Browns HC.
Would you like Mike McCarthy as the next Browns HC? pic.twitter.com/BDneXtY7Nb
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) January 6, 2026
If hired, it’s plausible McCarthy could retain Schwartz as the team’s defensive coordinator, too.
Joe Brady, Offensive Coordinator (Buffalo Bills)
At its core, the Browns’ roster is built on a running game and strong defense. Joe Brady has transformed one running game, so he can definitely improve Cleveland’s.
In two full seasons under Brady, the Bills rank third in the league in rushing EPA per attempt (+0.10), and they were third in Offense Impact (OFFi) at PFSN despite a passing game, devoid of weapons, that averaged just 216.6 yards per game with Josh Allen at the helm.
Brady’s focus on tight ends in the passing game this year would translate well to a team that could retain David Njoku in addition to stud rookie Harold Fannin Jr., as well.
Coming off a rookie season where Quinshon Judkins posted 998 scrimmage yards with no training camp, I’m sure the recovering rookie running back would be delighted to see Brady call plays and feed him the rock.
Kliff Kingsbury, Former Offensive Coordinator (Washington Commanders)
When writing this, I didn’t expect Kliff Kingsbury to be free of a contract.
The Commanders fired Kingsbury from their coordinator position on Tuesday, but it’s probable he’ll get immediate employment. The former Cardinals head coach had great success with Jayden Daniels as a rookie in 2024 before Daniels played just seven games in 2025 due to various injuries.
Watson’s contract might prevent a reunion with Kyler Murray in “The Land,” but both Watson and Sanders have a little bit of mobility to execute Kingsbury’s unique offense. Judkins would also be a significant upgrade at running back over anything the Commanders offered in two seasons.
I’m not sure the Browns go the “fired coordinator” route, having let go of someone with as much as Stefanski, but Kingsbury is a highly coveted candidate.
Klint Kubiak, Offensive Coordinator (Seattle Seahawks)
The star assistant of 2025 is Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. The only reason this fit is dicey for Cleveland is that he can seemingly choose his destination, and that’s probably not the Browns.
Kubiak’s 2025 work with Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba will get plenty of credit, but don’t forget that he was the coordinator with the Saints in 2024. New Orleans roared out of the gate with 91 points in two games before a wave of injuries to Derek Carr, Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, and Rashid Shaheed. Seattle noticed, and we should have done the same.
Any team that hires Kubiak will get an A+ across all hiring grades, and I just can’t see him choosing the Browns’ quarterback mess, Watson’s bizarre cap situation, and Jimmy Haslam over the Falcons, Giants, or Titans.
Todd Monken, Offensive Coordinator (Baltimore Ravens)
Poaching Todd Monken from a divisional foe would be quite the jab from the Browns.
Monken should get interviews in 2025 despite a bizarre year in Baltimore. His job might not even be safe for the Ravens after their disappointing 8-9 campaign, but there were few names “hotter” than Monken’s entering 2025 among plausible candidates.
In his first two years with the Ravens, their high-octane offense was first in red zone trips ending in touchdowns (67.9%), rushing yards per game (172.1), and passer rating (110.8). Lamar Jackson battled injuries in 2025, but there was also a lot of weirdness around Derrick Henry’s involvement at times in games where Baltimore ended up losing late leads.
Monken is another offensive-minded coach who might leap at the opportunity to mentor Shedeur Sanders — or a QB that Cleveland can realistically select with 11 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Deion Sanders, Head Coach (Colorado Buffaloes)
I had to throw this one in for fun, but it’s not supremely realistic.
The Browns would immediately become the circus of the NFL if they accommodated fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders by hiring his father, mentor, and college coach, Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders.
Deion is 16-21 in three seasons at Colorado, which is actually great for the formerly disgraced program. It’s also not a bona fide credential at an NFL head coaching job when a lot of his secret sauce has been recruiting superior talent to Boulder. There’s no “recruiting” at the pro level.
In a fictional world where this happened, it’d be a bona fide statement that GM Andrew Berry and owner Jimmy Haslam wanted Shedeur all along, and there would be plenty of eyeballs and ticket sales backing the Browns.
Could it happen with significant investment in coordinators around him? I guess, but the reason it’s most unlikely is that Prime has battled significant health issues to the point where his days in Boulder might also be numbered.
