The field of potential head coaches seems to keep growing for the Cleveland Browns. There are several big names looking for new jobs after the long season, and the Browns are surely considering many of them.
When it was announced that the Miami Dolphins had fired Mike McDaniel, some Browns fans felt that he’d be a good fit in Cleveland. However, Tony Grossi isn’t so sure. Grossi questioned why the Browns would think about hiring McDaniel after they beat his Dolphins so easily earlier in the season.
When it comes to McDaniel and defense coordinator Jim Schwartz, Grossi seems to clearly favor one over the other.
“Considering what Jim Schwartz’s defense did to Mike McDaniels’ offense in 31-6 Browns’ rout, sure, interviewing McDaniels for Browns HC makes perfect sense. OIC. (only in Cleveland),” Grossi wrote.
Considering what Jim Schwartz's defense did to Mike McDaniels' offense in 31-6 Browns' rout, sure, interviewing McDaniels for Browns HC makes perfect sense. OIC. (only in Cleveland).
— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) January 8, 2026
McDaniel’s final 7-10 season with the Dolphins definitely wasn’t what he wanted, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t find success with the team before that. In total, the team was 35-33 under McDaniel’s leadership for the last four seasons.
One of the biggest highlights of the season for the Browns was their 31-6 drubbing of the Dolphins in Week 7. That was due in part to the hard work of Schwartz and his defensive line.
It’s no surprise that Schwartz is one of the names floating around to replace Kevin Stefanski after his prompt firing at the end of the season. If he could manage the rest of the team like he has managed the defense, the Browns could be in much better shape next year.
However, McDaniel could bring something special to the team, too. Despite this final season and the harsh loss they faced because of the Browns, McDaniel was admired by many Miami fans for a while. After all, he led Miami to the playoffs in his very first season in charge of the team.
Additionally, he has previous experience with offense, which is the Browns’ biggest weakness. He was once the offensive coordinator during his final season working with the San Francisco 49ers. The Browns have a lot to think about right now, from McDaniel to Schwartz to plenty of other candidates.
Each of them has pros and cons, and fans and analysts will debate all of them until a choice is made.
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