Top head coach candidate rejects Browns, removes name from search: Report

The Cleveland Browns want to find the person who can lead them to the promised land. Or at least the wildcard round in the playoffs. The team has been busy interviewing candidates from all circles of the pro football world. On Tuesday, one of the perceived favorites for the position reportedly withdrew from the Browns head coach search and canceled an in-person interview scheduled for Wednesday. More news: Cleveland Browns Predicted to Bench Shedeur Sanders For NFC QB More news: Aaron Rodgers Could Play Final NFL Season With This NFC Powerhouse Former head coach Mike McDaniel moves at his own beat, and after looking like he could be emerging as the next Browns head coach, he will be looking elsewhere in 2026. The offensive genius could have brought a spark to a Browns attack that has been dulled for years, since the dismissal of Baker Mayfield, and they'll need to look elsewhere if they want to improve it. While it might seem unorthodox that McDaniel would turn down a chance to be a head coach again, it's also been alleged that the former Dolphin is OK reverting to an offensive coordinator if it's with the right franchise. He interviewed with the Detroit Lions before they chose Cardinals OC Drew Petzing. McDaniel is interviewing with the Los Angeles Chargers and Jim Harbaugh today for their OC opening, where he would work with Justin Herbert instead of not having a clear starter in Cleveland. He's also still in the mix for two head coaching roles, the Las Vegas Raiders and Baltimore Ravens, both franchises that seem aligned with their future at QB. For the Ravens, they have multi-time MVP Lamar Jackson. And with the Raiders, they have the No. 1 pick and are projected to select Indiana's Fernando Mendoza with the first pick, giving McDaniel a young QB to help develop from ground zero in the NFL. Only 42 years old, McDaniel went 35-33 in the regular season with the Dolphins over his four years as head coach. But he is still searching for his first postseason win, losing to the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs in back-to-back seasons.