The Cleveland Browns spent a few weeks, after firing HC Kevin Stefanski, interviewing 11 known candidates in their head coach search. A detailed process that included three different candidates pulling their name out of the running, for different reasons, including Grant Udinski very late in the process.
On Monday, Cleveland’s decision makers flew out to California to interview Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase. The last known interview on the team’s docket, Scheelhaase also
satisfied the Rooney Rule requirement, with Anthony Lynn being the first of two qualifying interviews. While in Los Angeles, Scheelhaase received a request to interview with the Buffalo Bills, which he ended up completing after the Browns left California.
Cleveland’s decision makers flew back to Ohio to reconvene on Tuesday morning, looking to make a decision on the team’s next head coach. The head coach search ended former Browns OC Todd Monken being tabbed as the 23rd head coach in franchise history:
This will be Monken’s first head coaching job in the NFL, with three years of experience in the role at Southern Miss. Monken was Cleveland’s offensive coordinator under Freddie Kitchens in 2019 after holding that role with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for three years prior.
Since his time with the Browns, Monken has led quality offenses at the University of Georgia and with the Baltimore Ravens, departing along with John Harbaugh this offseason.
Monken will turn 60 years old in early February.
The team has not yet made the hiring official.
