CLEVELAND - With the end-of-season firing of Browns head coach Pat Shurmur, the team is conducting interviews for replacements. Here is a list of names you might hear during the search, as of Thursday night.
Oregon head coach Chip Kelly. The 49-year-old Ducks head coach is 45 and 7 in Eugene. He has no previous NFL coaching experience. He became the head coach in 2009; he was the offensive coordinator prior. He is the hot name in college coaches to move to the NFL. According to multiple media outlets, he will interview with Browns on Friday.
Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien . The 43-year-old head coach at Penn State, left the Patriots after serving as the offensive coordinator, where he started in 2007. He took over the Penn State program, and won Big Ten Coach of the Year in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal and the passing of Joe Paterno. The Plain Dealer reported on Thursday that the Browns interviewed O'Brien earlier in the week. NFL.Com quoted a source saying the Browns were very impressed with the interview. But O’Brien told PennLive.com that he is "not a one-and-done kind of guy” and that he is staying at Penn State.
Former Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt. The 50-year-old was the Cardinals head coach from 2007 until the end of this season. He had great success as the Steelers offensive coordinator. He joined the Steelers in 2001. He was with the Browns in 1999 as the tight ends coach. Reports say that Wisenhunt interviewed with the Browns on Wednesday.
Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton. The 52-year-old is making heads turn in Arizona. His stock is rising fast. He played on three Super Bowl teams, and he spent 1983 to 1988 with the Bengals as a cornerback, then three more years with the Dallas Cowboys. Horton interviewed with Joe Banner in Arizona on New Year’s Day, which was confirmed in TV interviews.
Syracuse head coach Greg Marrone. The 48-year-old returned to his alma mater in 2009. He is 25-25 in his four seasons with the Orangemen. Before that, he was he was the offensive coordinator for the Saints. Reports surfaced that he interviewed with the Browns on Thursday.
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The 36-year-old is currently coaching in New England. The Browns will have to wait until after the playoffs to talk to him. He was the head coach of the Denver Broncos. Born in Barberton, he graduated from Canton McKinley. Reports during the last week of the season said he is not expected to be a candidate.
49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman. The 40-year-old is another John Carroll Blue Streak. He clearly wants to be a head coach. Roman has tutored Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick to a combined 24-7-1 record in two seasons.
Colts' interim head coach Bruce Arians. The 60-year-old was the Browns offensive coordinator from 2001 to 2003. He then went to Pittsburgh from 2004 to 2011. Many Steelers faithful felt he was a biggest part of the letdown to an 8-8 season. He ended up in Indianapolis. The took over the Colts, when head coach Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia. Pagano is back. Arians was 9 and 3.
Denver offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. The 40-year-old is in his third season with the Broncos. Prior to that, he spent eight years in Carolina as an assistant coach. He is credited with the success of Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow.
Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, The 45-year-old has been with the Bengals for two seasons. He is the son of Jim Gruden, a long-time college and NFL assistant coach. His brother, Jon, was the head coach of the Raiders and Bucs.
Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. The 33-year-old is currently with his father, Mike, in Washington. He was the O.C. in Houston, before joining his father for two seasons in Houston.
Jacksonville defensive coordinator and former Browns defensive coordinator Mel Tucker. The 40-year-old is a graduate of Cleveland Heights High School. He was the Jags interim head last season after Jack Del Rio was fired last season.
Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. The 56-year-old has been in Cincinnati since 2009. He is the son the father of Adam Zimmer, the defensive assistant/linebackers coach for Kansas City.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban. The 61-year-old Kent State grad would continue the great year the for the Flashes, if he decides to come to Cleveland. He is already a $5 million-man-a-year as the head coach of one the best college football programs in the country at Alabama. Saban was the Browns defensive coordinator from 1991 to 1994. He has won three NCAA national championships. He could interview after National Championship game.
Former Bucs and Raiders coach Jon Gruden. The 49-year-old Sandusky native is always in the rumor mill when a job in Ohio opens up. His brother, Jay, is the offensive coordinator at Cincinnati. Gruden is on Monday Night Football as an analyst. He was head coach of the Bucs when they won the Super Bowl in 2003. Reports emerged early that he will interview,
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