Browns might never get a shot at Jerod Mayo
By Randy Gurzi
Jerod Mayo was one of the names the Cleveland Browns had on their list for defensive coordinator but they may never get a chance to speak with him
After the Cleveland Browns decided to part ways with Joe Woods, they zeroed in on a few candidates including Brian Flores, Sean Desai, Jerod Mayo, and Jim Schwartz. With some of the interviews set up, one of the coaches might already be out of the running.
Mayo, who is currently a linebackers coach with the New England Patriots, is in talks with his current team to stick around long-term.
The usually tight-lipped organization released a statement that they were trying to keep him around and that makes sense. As Mary Kay Cabot says, Mayo is a hot name in coaching circles and interviewed for three head coaching vacancies in the past two years — and was asked to interview with the Carolina Panthers as well this year.
Browns will continue to interview candidates
With Mayo out, Cleveland still has some talented names on their list. The first is Flores, who has already met with the team. Like Mayo, he has ties to New England as he was the linebackers coach from 2016 through 2018. He held many other roles on defense and special teams with the Pats, dating back to 2008.
Flores then went to Miami in 2019 to become the head coach of the Dolphins. He spent three years there before being let go and served as the senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach for the Steelers this past season.
However, Flores has never technically had the role of defensive coordinator. The same cannot be said for Schwartz, who had that title with the Tennessee Titans from 2001 through 2008 before becoming the head coach of the Detroit Lions. He then returned to his defensive coordinator role with the Buffalo Bills in 2014 and then the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016 through 2020 where he won a Super Bowl.
Desai is the final name and he might be the one who appeals to this staff. He has an Ivy League education and earned a doctorate degree from Temple in educational administration. He survived several regimes with the Chicago Bears from 2013 through 2021 and spend 2022 with the Seattle Seahawks as an associate head coach and defensive assistant.
