Josh McDaniels was among the candidates to interview for the Cleveland Browns’ head coaching vacancy this year. There was some thought that he might be the favorite for the job, but the two sides were not on the same page, and the Browns hired Kevin Stefanski instead.
So where did things go wrong with McDaniels?
The Canton Repository’s Steve Doerschuk wrote a story about the subject on Sunday that is worth your time. In his story, Doerschuk says McDaniels wanted a franchise makeover to take the Browns job, and that’s where things fell apart.
From Doerschuk:
Would the Browns show a willingness to applaud his detailed presentation on the sweeping makeover that would be needed for him to want the job? This is where the trouble with his candidacy came to a head.
While McDaniels wanted a major makeover, the Browns wanted to keep some elements of the franchise the same. That likely includes Paul DePodesta being heavily involved in decision-making, and a strong analytics presence.
Doerschuk says the two sides agreed it wasn’t a good fit.
Instead, Cleveland found a good fit with Stefanski, who reportedly agreed to some DePodesta standards, and to owner Jimmy Haslam’s desire to have a Monday meeting with his coach after games. Even Stefanski’s poor performance in the playoffs on Saturday did not deter Cleveland.
