Browns coaching search: Team set to interview Ken Whisenhunt Saturday
By Peter Smith
Jan 5, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; (Editors note: Caption correction) San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt on the sidelines during first quarter of the AFC wild card playoff football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
#Chargers OC Ken Whisenhunt will interview with #Browns, per ESPN. #Browns CEO didn't think he would dip into last year's pool.
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) January 9, 2014
Whisenhunt reportedly to interview with #Lions and #Titans before meeting with #Browns on Saturday. #searching
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) January 9, 2014
The Cleveland Browns are set to interview Ken Whisenhunt, currently the offensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers for their head coaching job. Whisenhunt will meet with the Detroit Lions and Tennessee Titans first, so it remains to be seen if he will even make it to that interview before taking the job.
This is the first evidence that the coaching search may have taken a turn somewhere in the process. CEO Joe Banner said the team was not going to consider anyone who their interviewed last year in the press conference where they talked about firing Rob Chudzinski. Whisenhunt was in that group, so clearly something has changed. Perhaps the situation with Josh McDaniels has had a sizable impact. Or, the combination of McDaniels and not being able to interview Adam Gase has them going this route.
In any case, the Browns are now dipping into candidates from last year’s search. Maybe Whisenhunt will be an isolated case, but he is at least the first. In the end, how they get to the right guy is ultimately unimportant, but they have to get the right guy.