Report: Mularkey interests Browns

Mike Mularkey, fired as head coach of the Titans on Jan. 15, is a candidate to become the Browns’ next offensive coordinator, according to a report on NFL Network.

The story was first reported by Ian Rapoport. Rapoport said in a tweet the Browns had interest if Mularkey became available. The Browns are not confirming that interest.

Coach Hue Jackson, beginning his third year with the Browns, and Mularkey are well-traveled on the coaching trail, but they have never worked together.

Mularkey has been an offensive coordinator with three different NFL teams — the Steelers from 2001-03, the Dolphins in 2006 and the Falcons from 2008-11. He was the head coach of the Bills in 2004-05, Jaguars head coach in 2012 and the Titans head coach for the final nine games of 2015 and all of 2016 and 2017. He is 36-53 overall as a head coach.

The Titans are spinning the story to say they and Mularkey “agreed to part ways” two days after the Titans were blown out by the Patriots, 35-14, in an AFC Divisional playoff game.

In a statement, Titans

owner Amy Adams Strunk said the Titans last week discussed extending Mularkey’s contract with Tennessee, but reversed course when Mularkey wouldn’t agree to staff changes General Manager Jon Robinson wanted made.

One of the changes sought by Robinson apparently was hiring a different offensive coordinator. Terry

Robiskie, a former Browns assistant (and interim head coach in 2004) has that job now. Mularkey did not want to make changes.

“In discussions about the direction of the team, it became evident that we saw different paths to achieve greater success,” Strunk said in a statement. “It is certainly unfortunate that we couldn’t find enough common

ground. I generally believe that continuity is the best path for success, but I also view this as an important moment for our football team as we try to make that next step to sustained success on the field. Jon will begin the search immediately to identify that person.”

Mularkey, 56, called plays for the Titans. He has enough experience in that

role, given his other stints as offensive coordinator, to call plays for the Browns if Jackson chooses to go in that direction. However, Jim Wyatt, who covers the Titans for Titansonline. com, reported the progress of quarterback Marcus Mariota under Mularkey’s leadership was questioned.

The Browns last week interviewed

Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan for the offensive coordinator vacancy. They hired former Bengals offensive coordinator Ken Zampese as quarterbacks coach.

In other news, TCU co-offensive coordinator Curtis Luper was interviewed for the Browns’ vacant running backs coach job, according to Rapoport.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Former Titans coach Mike Mularkey, right, listens to an official against the Patriots in Foxborough, Mass.