Cleveland Browns: Potential head coach candidates no one is talking about

Matt Eberflus, Colts defensive coordinator

Last season, there was another coordinator that John Dorsey apparently really liked, Matt Eberflus. The Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator was on the shortlist of potential hires and for a few days, it seemed as though he was the guy.

In fact, the team’s website even did a piece on him and one of the things they discussed was his roots in the state of Ohio.

"“Eberflus grew up in Toledo, attended Whitmer High and starred on the University of Toledo football team from 1988-91. He racked up 325 tackles, 89 coming as a junior and 138 during a senior season in which he served as a co-captain and was named the team’s MVP. He was inducted into Toledo’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.” — Andrew Gribble, ClevelandBrowns.com"

In addition to growing up in Toledo, Eberflus spent two seasons in Cleveland as a linebackers coach for the Browns in 2009 and 2010. From there, he went to Dallas to work with the Cowboys in the same role before joining the Colts in 2018.

Cleveland general manager John Dorsey is good friends with Colts GM Chris Ballard and there’s no doubt the two discussed the coach during the process — which probably helped him gain the consideration he did.

Eberflus and his defense have not been as good this season but he’s still had plenty of success in the NFL and his players have always responded well to him. Re-visiting this one could be a good idea.