The reason Mike McDaniel spurned the Browns is clear (and it's embarrassing)

When news broke that Mike McDaniel had scheduled a second interview with the Cleveland Browns for their head coach vacancy, fans were understandably excited.

McDaniel, a fan favorite and offensive mastermind, has been a hot commodity since being handed his walking papers by the Miami Dolphins. Besides, he was one of only six reported candidates to receive a second interview request from the Browns.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently made an eyebrow-raising prediction prior to McDaniel formally pulling out of the Browns' search, and it seems he was on to something.

"Mike McDaniel has made the rounds, and if I had to guess, he’ll probably wind up as an offensive coordinator in the next week or so. I’ve heard Tampa Bay could be a good spot for him, and that, if he does a good job, he could be set up to be Todd Bowles’s eventual successor."

Albert Breer

With his departure from the pool of potential candidates, fans were left to wonder what exactly happened here. Some wondered whether he would take the Raiders job — where he would be paired with likely top pick Fernando Mendoza — saving himself and the Browns some time by avoiding a purposeless interview. He met with the Raiders' top brass prior to Monday's CFP National Championship, after all.

Or, could it be that the division rival Ravens have an eye on making him their John Harbaugh replacement? The reality paints a harrowing picture of how the Browns' front office is perceived.

McDaniel withdrew from consideration — only from the Browns' opening

McDaniel has already agreed to take over the Los Angeles Chargers' offensive coordinator position — get this — as long as he doesn't wind up taking the top position with the Raiders or Ravens. So, it's not that he's disinterested in taking over a lead role quickly after his last one; it's the role in Cleveland specifically that he is not interested in.

This is a direct shot at Jimmy Haslam, Andrew Berry, and the rest of the front office that has made this team an undesirable destination, and it's impossible to blame McDaniel.

Coaches with options want a few things, and they're all reasonable. One, an owner who spends freely while refraining from meddling. The rumblings about Jimmy Haslam's involvement in drafting Shedeur Sanders, as well as spearheading the effort to acquire Deshaun Watson back in 2021, are deafening now.

Speaking of Watson and Sanders, head coaches want a franchise quarterback or a logical path to one. A look at the draft board and the Browns' cap situation reveals dire straits. Not only do they have very little at the position, but the draft is not expected to yield more than one or two NFL-ready QBs. That's what can be referred to as a sticky situation.

They also want a general manager with a history of selecting top-tier talent in the draft and free agency. Berry has not done that, nor has he shown any indication that he will. In fact, regardless of Berry's level of culpability in the Watson deal, it happened under his watch. That contract continues to haunt the Browns, a development that surely doesn't excite potential candidates.

While it certainly puts fans in their feelings, any anger toward McDaniel is misdirected. When Haslam decided to let go of Kevin Stefanski, the logical thing to do was clean house. Start from scratch, with a new vision and a fresh perspective. Instead, the Browns empowered Berry — the architect of these underachieving teams — to not only hand-select the team's next head coach but also continue to be in charge of the team's precious top draft choices.

It's not too late for Haslam to pull a Shad Khan-level U-turn and relieve Berry of his duties, but we all know he won't. Alas, the reality Browns fans have been dealt is having to hope that Berry suddenly makes better decisions — starting with the team's next head coach.