The Cleveland Browns continue to search for their next head coach, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that not every candidate is eager to take the reins in Northeast Ohio.
Just days after former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel pulled out of the Browns’ coaching search, another name has followed suit. Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski has officially withdrawn his name from consideration for the Browns’ top job, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Udinski isn’t stepping away from head coaching aspirations altogether-just from this particular opportunity. While he’s inked a new deal with Jacksonville that comes with a pay bump for the upcoming season, the Jaguars are giving him the green light to keep exploring the Buffalo Bills’ head coaching vacancy. If that door doesn’t open, Udinski will return to his role as OC in Jacksonville.
This move mirrors what we saw from McDaniel, who also opted out of the Browns’ process while keeping other options on the table. McDaniel was eyeing the offensive coordinator role with the Chargers and the head coaching gig in Las Vegas. As of Monday, he officially landed in Los Angeles as the new OC.
What’s notable here is that both coaches-respected, in-demand offensive minds-chose to walk away from a head coaching opportunity in Cleveland, signaling that the Browns job may not be as coveted as one might expect for such a high-profile position. Whether it’s the organizational structure, ownership, or something else behind the scenes, it’s enough to make top candidates look elsewhere-even if that means staying in a coordinator role or holding out for a better fit.
Naturally, the news sparked a flurry of reactions across social media, with fans and followers weighing in on what’s becoming a pattern. Some pointed to long-standing frustrations with the team’s ownership, while others joked that the Browns job seems like something coaches are actively dodging.
One fan summed it up with a bit of gallows humor: “I’m going to write an essay about what it is like to be a lifelong Browns fan. My working title is: Pain.”
As it stands, the Browns are still in search mode. With both McDaniel and Udinski off the board, the front office will need to pivot quickly to find a candidate ready-and willing-to take on one of the league’s more challenging head coaching roles.