CINCINNATI, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – With Freddie Kitchens out, the never-ending quest for the right head coach begins once again for the Cleveland Browns.
This is the fifth time owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam will do this, and one would think they’d be pros at picking coaches by now, but their decision-making processes have all been flawed and led to spectacular failure every time.
So, what now?
In a statement released Sunday night, the Haslams promised a “comprehensive approach” to find an “exceptional leader” for the Browns going forward to replace Kitchens with.
But who leads the search?
Will it be chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta, who wanted Bills head coach Sean McDermott in 2016? McDermott has Buffalo in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
General manager John Dorsey went with Kitchens, so he likely won’t oversee the next hire.
The search firm Korn Ferry netted Hue Jackson in 2016.
Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi chose Rob Chudzinski, who lasted one season, and Mike Pettine, survivor of two seasons. Lombardi and Banner were out the door shortly after Pettine’s hire.
The one common denominator in all this mess are the Haslams.
They’ve tried, failed, and spent millions upon millions to get it right, yet they haven’t.
So why will search No. 5 be different?
It might be the candidates.
Former Packers coach Mike McCarthy won a Super Bowl in Green Bay and he would bring legitimacy and championship experience to Cleveland.
Former Panthers coach Ron Rivera, who received the classiest and most emotional sendoff in history, will meet Monday with Washington according to multiple reports. Dorsey used the phrase, “leader of men” when Kitchens was hired. Rivera is that. He would bring structure and discipline to the Browns.
Urban Meyer’s name has been thrown about, but his health would be a major concern. If he were to be hired, it would likely mean the end of Dorsey and the front office because the former Buckeyes head coach would likely request complete control of the organization, similar to Butch Davis in 2001 and Eric Mangini in 2009, and that never ends well.
Jim Harbaugh could be worth exploring. The Michigan coach has struggled to return the Wolverines to prominence but won two division titles in four seasons with the 49ers, including a trip to Super Bowl XLVII.
Josh McDaniels remains on the Haslam’s radar. They’ve coveted him for years. Could this be the chance to finally pry him from New England? McDaniels reportedly is fond of quarterback Baker Mayfield but a McDaniels hire would also likely mean the end of Dorsey, and Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio could be brought in to head up the personnel department.
Would the Hasams go the coordinator route and try to steal Greg Roman, who helped John Harbaugh build the Ravens offense around presumed 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, from Baltimore? It might be worth a try.
Let the search begin.
