Stefanski Favored To Be Next Cleveland Browns Head Coach

Even before Week 17 was finished, Freddie Kitchens was fired as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, representing another very short head coaching tenure for an organization which is desperate to turn around its fortunes. Now that the team has also parted ways with General Manager John Dorsey, the question is which direction will they go next?

The Browns interviewed Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski last year but opted to go with someone else. He’s favored to be the next Browns head coach but will they make that hire?

KEVIN STEFANSKI
ODDS: +275

It is true that the Minnesota Vikings have sputtered on offense in recent weeks. Yet, it is felt in many NFL circles that Kevin Stefanski, the Vikings’ offensive coordinator, is a sharp mind who deserves his big chance to get a head coaching gig. One of the uncertainties connected to Stefanski is that if Minnesota gets crushed by the New Orleans Saints in the wild card round of the NFL Playoffs, there are rumors that the Vikings might fire head coach Mike Zimmer and give Stefanski the head coaching job. Stefanski would probably take the job, so we have to at least wait for Sunday’s playoff game and into Monday to get a better sense of what the Browns might do. At the same time, there are those at the other end of the spectrum that feel like Stefanski is overrated. The offense was a mess last year and it might be import Gary Kubiak and his patented rushing offense that fixed the unit; not Stefanski.

MIKE MCCARTHY
ODDS: +500

The New York Giants are interviewing the former Green Bay Packer coach, who is in the middle of the NFL coaching carousel. Mike McCarthy has already interviewed with the Carolina Panthers as well, so the key point of uncertainty with McCarthy is not whether he will become an NFL head coach again – that much seems certain. It is which team will ultimately land him. It is hard to know which team will fall in love with McCarthy, and it is also hard to know which team will pull the trigger first. Carolina, having already interviewed McCarthy before the Giants did, might have the best odds of agreeing to a deal with McCarthy, but if Carolina likes another coaching candidate better, then the Browns become a much more realistic landing spot for Aaron Rodgers’ former coach.

GREG ROMAN
ODDS: +600

This is the hire Browns fans would probably like the best. The Browns have been given permission to interview Roman, who is the offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens and is seen as a man who has enabled Lamar Jackson to thrive very early in his NFL career. Roman has paid his dues as an offensive coordinator for several seasons in the NFL and he is almost certain to become a head coach in this upcoming coaching carousel – if he wants a head coaching job. The fact that he has coached against the Browns in the AFC North might be another point in his favor. The Browns hiring Roman wouldn’t just help themselves; it might hurt the Ravens in 2020 and beyond.

ERIC BIENIEMY
ODDS: +1200

This is the hot minority coaching candidate, who is making the rounds as part of the NFL’s “Rooney Rule,” which demands that teams interview at least one minority candidate when they have a head coaching vacancy. If the Browns are unable to get Greg Roman, this might be their next choice. Bieniemy has worked under Andy Reid in Kansas City with the Chiefs and comes highly recommended by his boss. He’s a sharp offensive mind and might be able to fix the Browns unit, which underachieved in 2019.

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