The NFL’s coaching carousel continues to spin, but the Cleveland Browns remain one of the few teams remaining without a dance partner. Multiple coaches have now canceled second interviews with the team, and fans aren’t getting the clarity they are looking for about this coaching situation.
Mike McDaniel and Jesse Minter declined second interviews with the Browns, but Cleveland did recently complete a second interview with Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, who is gradually emerging as a leading candidate. It may not be the most linear or sensible coaching search, but the Browns are making progress even though one player recently questioned the process.
During a recent episode of Afternoon Drive on 92.3 The Fan, NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger discussed Cleveland’s approach to finding a new coach.
He responded to a recent report from Tom Pelissero that the Browns are requiring candidates to write them essays as they are opting to take a data-driven approach to this hiring process.
“I’ve never heard that. I have no idea why anybody would ask a coaching candidate to write an essay.”
"I've never heard that. I don't know what the purpose of writing essays would have to do with leading a football team."
🚨 @BaldyNFL with @NickWilsonSays and @JPeterlin on the #Browns 'data-driven' coaching search 🏈 https://t.co/qnGhcFRd9z pic.twitter.com/Ca0cNNPOg3
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) January 23, 2026
If this is true, it would certainly explain why some candidates have decided the Browns’ coaching gig isn’t for them. In the wise words of former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, we came here to play football, we ain’t come here to play school.
Baldinger stressed that anything a potential coach has to offer should be able to be displayed in an extensive interview, and he’s right. There’s a reason this process takes a while, and these interviews are so extensive, and at no point should essays enter the equation.
We have all applied to a job before and gotten to the point in the process where you have to retype your resume after attaching the document. That’s usually the point where we close the application and look for a different job, and it sounds like that may be what Mike McDaniel and Jesse Minter did.
Hopefully, this isn’t true, and the Browns can find their guy sooner rather than later. If it is true, hopefully Udinski wrote quite the essay.
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