The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Browns interview Caldwell for coaching vacancy
The Browns on Jan. 2 interviewed former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell for their head coaching vacancy, the team announced.
Former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy will interview on Jan. 3, according to multiple reports. Gregg Williams, who was 5-3 as Browns interim head coach, interviewed on Jan. 1.
Caldwell will turn 64 on Jan. 15. He is the oldest known candidate under consideration to become the ninth full-time head coach of the Browns since 1999.
Caldwell was 26-22 as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2009-11. He guided them XLIV, where they lost to the Saints in the 2009 season.
Just 13 days after being dismissed by the Colts, Caldwell landed with the Baltimore Ravens as their quarterback coach. He was the Ravens offensive coordinator in 2013 and was then hired by the Detroit Lions as their head coach. The Ravens beat the 49ers, 34-31, in Super Bowl XLVII after the 2012 season.
Caldwell was 36-28 in four seasons coaching the Lions. He had three winning seasons and made the playoffs twice. The Lions were 9-7 in 2016 and 9-7 in 2017 under Caldwell, but general manager Bob Quinn did not like what he saw and chose not to retain Caldwell.
“We didn’t beat the real good teams,” Quinn told reporters. “Our record was above average. We’re 9-7 the last two years, but our record against the better teams in the league has not been that good.”
Matt Patricia, the former Patriots defensive coordinator, replaced Caldwell and went 6-10 in 2018.
Browns general manager John Dorsey won’t have to do much probing on Jan. 3 in his interview with McCarthy. McCarthy coached the Packers for 13 years. Dorsey was in the Green Bay personnel department for seven of those years.
The Browns will interview Saints assistant head coach/tight ends coach Dan Campbell on Jan. 4 and Colts offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski on Jan. 7, according to NFL Network.