Despite being one of the top candidates among open NFL head-coaching jobs, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels did not have takers in 2020. The Cleveland Browns reportedly hired Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski on Sunday, making the last vacancy in the league now closed.
According to Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson, McDaniels, 43, wasn't the “right fit” for the Browns, who dismissed former quarterbacks coach Freddie Kitchens just one year removed after hiring him as the head coach of the Baker Mayfield–led team.
3. On #Patriots' McDaniels – as I said before – he wanted a specific structure with the #Browns and it wasn't going to be the right fit. I will repeat what I said before: Josh wasn't going to an org where DePodesta or anyone else was a "side jury" reporting to Haslam on his job.
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) January 12, 2020
Robinson also mentions San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll had “very good interviews” with the Browns, although the northeastern Ohio organization instead went with Stefanski, who was most willing to work with Cleveland executive Paul DePodesta.
DePodesta, a former front-official official working in baseball, was hired by team owner Jimmy Haslam in January 2016 to oversee the football operations of the Browns, and McDaniels, according to Robinson, did not prefer working with DePodesta being constantly evaluated.
McDaniels previously worked for the Denver Broncos for two seasons as head coach before re-joining the Patriots back in 2012 for another stint. Since then he's served as New England's offensive coordinator and has been ready to jump back into a head coaching position around the league.
The Dallas Cowboys, however, hired ex–Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy; McDaniels' colleague Joe Judge, a wide receivers coach, was hired by the New York Giants; and Baylor University's Matt Rhule was contracted by the Carolina Panthers.
Kevin Stefanski was reportedly the runner-up to Kitchens a year ago—now he gets to run the show in Cleveland.
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