How NFL's Rooney Rule Could Halt Cleveland Browns’ Head Coach Hiring Process

The Cleveland Browns are currently on the third week of their latest head coach search, and as things presently stand, the franchise isn’t close to making a hire.

Why? Because the Browns, led in its search by general manager Andrew Berry, still haven’t complied with one essential requirement in order to fill the team’s vacant head coach position.

After nine candidates originally interviewed, and with the team currently going through the second interview process with a select group of coaches, the Browns aren't yet in compliance with the NFL’s Rooney Rule.

According to the rule, as stated by the league’s Operations website, NFL teams are required to interview at least two minority candidates for vacant head coach positions. Said interviews are required to be done in person for open head coach and GM positions.

A quick peek at Cleveland’s head coach interview tracker reveals that the Browns have not interviewed one minority candidate in person throughout their current hiring process.

To date, the Browns have had first interviews with nine candidates: offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher, former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde, Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, and Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski.

The team had also asked to speak with Rams’ defensive coordinator Chris Shula, but he declined.

Presently, Schwartz and Monken are the only candidates that have completed a second interview. McDaniel asked the Browns to be removed from consideration, as he’s expected to join the Chargers as their new offensive coordinator. Minter and Udinski are expected to do in-person second interviews later this week.

This means that Scheelhaase, who can’t meet personally with the team until after the Conference Championship round is played -- where his Rams will visit the Seahawks to determine who will move on to Super Bowl LX -- is the only minority head coach currently on schedule to meet with Cleveland in the next few days.

With only one of two required minority candidate interviews done after the Browns speak to Scheelhaase again, the team still won’t be able to hire anyone until after the Rooney Rule requirement is filled.

How will the Rooney Rule slow down the Browns’ head coach hiring process?

McDaniel abandoning any interest in a second interview with the Browns left Cleveland with only one minority head coach candidate in Scheelhaase.

This means the team must scramble to find another suitable candidate to interview in person in order to comply with league rules but, ¿can Berry and the Browns convince any serious candidate that, at this stage of their process -- where multiple reports are speculating that the team has reduced its shortlist to Schwartz, Udinski and Scheelhaase -- they will receive fair consideration?

It will be a challenge. No minority candidate will want to agree to an in person-interview just for show. That’s not the spirit under which the Rooney Rule was created, and that’s not how it should be executed.

Meanwhile, the list of top-level minority candidates is dwindling after Robert Saleh agreed to become the Tennessee Titans’ next head coach. Big names such as Brian Flores and Anthony Weaver have sparked tons of interest from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, two other vacancies in the AFC North that are much more attractive than Cleveland’s, and in Flores’ case, he has already fought the league and its teams for conducting sham interviews.

The worst part?

Things could get even messier down the road if, eventually, Schwartz isn't hired and the team isn’t able to retain him as defensive coordinator. Then, the team would be looking for a new defensive coordinator amongst a very depleted pool of candidates. Same goes for the offensive coordinator position if whomever takes the reins decides to part ways with Rees. In both cases, the team will have to complete two interviews with minority candidates in order to comply with the Rooney Rule for the coordinator positions, as well.

Berry’s miscalculations on McDaniels’ interest in Cleveland -- where he once coached wideouts -- means that even if the team zeroes in on its preferred candidate after speaking with Scheelhaase next week, it won’t be able to make any hire right away.

The Browns could now fall into a crisis that could have easily been averted by scheduling interviews with more than two minority candidates from the very beginning.

How will the Rooney Rule slow down the Browns’ head coach hiring process?

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