Browns might have surprise candidate in mind to possibly replace Kevin Stefanski

With one game remaining in the 2025 regular season, it could be a big one for Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and his future with the franchise.

The team has gone 4-12 this season and has won only seven games in the last two years, leaving the door open to the possibility of Stefanski being given the pink slip. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler has an interesting name in mind to potentially fill in as the Browns' head coach if it becomes available.

"Stefanski might be the strongest retread candidate in the eyes of many. The Giants would be an ideal fit. And trades of any kind are never off the table in Cleveland, but it'd be tricky trying to trade a coach who's 7-26 over the past two years. And here's something funny: My sense is that (Mike) McDaniel would be a candidate in Cleveland, should the Dolphins move on and Cleveland's job open. He still has some support in Miami. We will see if that's enough. He has made a case to stay. From what I've gathered, the Dolphins' GM search won't necessarily be centered around fitting with McDaniel; it's more so about finding the best team fit in general."

McDaniel has had a nice run with the Dolphins over the last four years, but it has mainly been average, with seasons that have wins between 7 and 11. He currently holds a 35-32 overall record, with his team at 7-9 on the season.

The biggest issue for McDaniel is that he is an offensive genius, much like the reason the Browns brought in Stefanski in the first place. Still, Miami has not gotten the production from its quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, that they were hoping for. McDaniel ended up benching him late in the season, as it appears Tagovailoa's and McDaniel's futures are in question.

If the Browns move on from Stefanski and bring in McDaniel, it could mark a massive change for Cleveland's offense. McDaniel would most likely bring in his own quarterback, which could either be through the draft or from another NFL team like Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray or someone else. There would be some questions about whether McDaniel would believe in Shedeur Sanders.

There are pieces to the offense, though, that McDaniel can work with, including running back Quinshon Judkins and tight end Harold Fannin Jr., which gives him a solid foundation to work with. He would have to rebuild the offensive line and add more offensive weapons with a new quarterback.

McDaniel showed in Miami to be able to do that early on with a young quarterback and restructuring the offense, so if he can manage to keep Jim Schwartz as the defensive coordinator, the Browns might have something special to work with in 2026 and beyond.