The Cleveland Browns finished the 2025 NFL season with a 5-12 record, and although the young group showed a level of competitive edge and spirit that a franchise loves to see, they still decided to part ways with Kevin Stefanski.
A two-time Coach of the Year winner with the Browns, Stefanski struggled to get the Browns more wins this past season. Stefanski was forced to cycle through multiple quarterbacks in Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders this year, and it predictably resulted in several rough offensive showings.
While difficult to pin all of Cleveland’s troubles on Stefanski, the writing was on the wall as far as his future with the team goes.
Now, the team is currently searching for its next head coach and is scheduled to meet with several candidates for the opening. So far, people like Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken are in the running.
The recent NFL trend has been to hire younger, but Hanford Dixon believes the Browns should be hiring a more veteran option.
“We don’t need a young coach. We need a guy like Tomlin. We need a guy like John Harbaugh. I’m not saying they wouldn’t take [Jim Schwartz]. What I’m saying is, it’s gotta be their choice. They gotta make that decision,” Dixon said.
Will the Browns be more likely to hire a young head coach that they could "handcuff" to Jim Schwartz? #DawgPound@JoshCribbs16 & @HanfordDixon29 debate Schwartz's future.
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— The Top Dawgs Show (@TopDawgShow) January 18, 2026
It’s hard not to want a proven head coach like Mike Tomlin or John Harbaugh because they’ve got championship experience under their belts and know what it takes to navigate the ups and downs of the regular season. Tomlin remains on the open market, while Harbaugh was recently named the New York Giants head coach, so Cleveland will need to look elsewhere if it wants someone with similar qualifications.
Out of the names that seem to be the current favorites, Schwartz might fit the bill the best, as he’s already got buy-in and support from the locker room.
Oftentimes, head coaches fail when they can’t get players to believe in their system and message, so perhaps the answer to their search is already in the building.
NEXT: Report: Browns Working On Second Interviews With 2 More Candidates
