Browns lose out on John Harbaugh with first domino to fall on coaching carousel

The Cleveland Browns have lost out on who was the hottest name in the coaching carousel as John Harbaugh will not be sticking around in the AFC North.

ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter first reported overnight that Harbaugh and the New York Giants are finalizing a deal for him to become the head coach. This was an expected outcome, as Harbaugh was at the Giants' facility, and the team went all out to bring in quarterback Jaxson Dart to sell him on the job.

Not only will the Browns lose out on Harbaugh, but they will also have to mark off another head coach candidate they interviewed. Harbaugh is expected to bring his offensive coordinator from the Ravens, Todd Monken, to New York in the same role.

Todd Monken is among the assistants expected to join John Harbaugh. https://t.co/QD8qdqpQOw
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 15, 2026

This certainly leaves the Browns in an interesting spot, as it was reported that Harbaugh had some interest in the Cleveland job. Ultimately, the outcome was not all that surprising, as Harbaugh and the Giants had been linked since Harbaugh was fired by the Ravens.

The most likely next option for the Browns is to consider a younger coach who would make this their first head coaching job. Someone like Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak would make a ton of sense for the Browns.

All indications are that whoever takes over as head coach will have the option to retain Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator or hire their own. Most likely, with the Browns' defense a top-five unit, they would be smart to keep Schwartz in his position and continue building on the success of 2025.

That leaves the Browns to target a young, offensive-minded coach like Kubiak or Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski
for the job. Kubiak or Udinski could come in right away and retool an offense that desperately needs it.

One good thing about Kubiak and Udinski is that they have developed veteran quarterbacks in their first year and improved them. Sam Darnold and Trevor Lawrence each had great seasons and arguably their best year in the NFL because of the progress they made under their offensive coordinator.

This is just the beginning.

With the first domino falling, the Browns will need to act quickly on a head coach, as every team will have the same urgency to hire someone. Cleveland can't afford to fall behind in its hiring process and ensure a deal is done as soon as possible.