Black Monday came around like Christmas this year, and many a fan woke up to the greatest gift the Browns could deliver. Owner Jimmy Haslam relieved sixth-year head coach Kevin Stefanski of his duties, effectively ripping off the band-aid after a too-little-too-late win streak concluded another abominable season for Cleveland.
Stefanski is enigmatic to many fans. He delivered the franchise its first playoff berth in 17 years when he dragged the 2020 outfit to the playoffs. Not to be outdone, in 2023, Stefanski and Co. signed the then 37-year-old Joe Flacco off the couch late in the season and, in one of the NFL's wildest Cinderella stories ever, snagged a wild-card berth for a second postseason appearance in the Stefanski era.
Ultimately, his undoing came down to his record in the other four years under his watch. That 23–45 mark is a stain that will not be soon wiped away. Now, the Browns embark on another coaching search with the presumed hope that they'll find a consistent winner who can compete in the always-treacherous AFC North in the years to come.
The Browns' leading candidate could already have his next spot lined up
This year's coaching carousel is a bit unique in that there's no slam-dunk candidate who teams have been clamoring for. For the past several years, that was the then-Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. There was also a considerable amount of hype around the then-Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen. Both subsequently got their chance to run the show and hit the ground running in Chicago and Jacksonville, respectively.
One name that has consistently come up is the Vikings' defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Strictly based on coaching acumen, he has a sterling resume. For years in New England, Miami, and Minnesota, Flores' defenses have terrorized opposing quarterbacks. The most likely reason that Flores isn't the head man somewhere right now is that his off-the-field baggage looms over any decision.
The Browns ownership group has been willing to zig when the league zags — to their detriment — before, so it seems like they'd be one of the most willing teams to give Flores another shot. The prospect of pairing the defensive mastermind with future Hall of Famer Myles Garrett and other great pieces such as Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger, Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit, and Ronnie Hickman is tantalizing to consider.
𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧: Brian Flores is among the possible candidates for the Browns’ vacancy at head coach, per @MaryKayCabot
— JPA (@jasrifootball) January 6, 2026
They also plan to interview their current DC Jim Schwartz for the opening. pic.twitter.com/odY8ksPLOQ
The only problem? Another head coach-needy team might already be in the driver's seat to land him.
The Las Vegas Raiders had one of the most inconsequential games in NFL history on Sunday. Not only were they long eliminated from playoff contention with a 2–14 record, they had also secured the top pick in the draft by the time kickoff rolled around. They wound up beating the Mahomes-less Chiefs in what was certainly one of the games of all time.
It was before that game even started that NFL insider Mike Florio reported rumors were already swirling about Brian Flores becoming the head coach of the Raiders, bringing former Giants head coach Brian Daboll with him to lead the offensive side of the ball.
"There’s a rumor currently making the rounds that, once Brady rolls up his sleeves, he’ll make the case for bringing in Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores ... As the chatter goes, Flores would be the head coach, and former Giants coach Brian Daboll would be the offensive coordinator. Like Flores, Daboll has extensive experience with the Patriot Way. Daboll was there for the first three Super Bowl wins of the Brady/Belichick era, and for two of the second trio of championships."Mike Florio
It all seemed premature, as Pete Carroll was still the team's head coach at the time. That was, until the Raiders announced that he had been relieved of his duties Monday morning. Now it appears that the Browns may be out of luck as it relates to one of the top candidates, whose potential collaboration with Daboll — and Tom Brady — would make for an intriguing combination.
On second thought, maybe Brian Flores being out of Cleveland's range is actually the best outcome.