Reports: Browns could lose offensive coordinator to college football coaching vacancy

Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is currently a potential candidate to take over the head coaching job at UCLA with the recent firing of their head coach Deshaun Foster.

Jun 10, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) talks to Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees during minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

This past Sunday, the UCLA Bruins decided it was time to part ways with their head coach Deshaun Foster, a Bruin alum who had been promoted only two short years ago. Foster was able to lead the Bruins to a 5-7 record last season but hasn’t been able to instill any similar results to start this season, currently sitting at 0-3.

With a promising young roster and newly acquired quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who has struggled up to this point, the Bruins are back to square one as they search for a new head coach to right the wrongs of a seemingly lost program.

The Bruins' desperate search for a head coach to take over their winless team is in full swing, with many current candidates coming from the college football scene, but one name stands out amongst the rest. This candidate comes from the professional ranks, Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, according to ESPN.

 Rees, a former college quarterback and coordinator with Notre Dame, as well as most recently with the Alabama Crimson Tide, was brought in by the Browns this past off-season to give their offense a spark they’ve needed for quite some time. Rees hasn’t had the most notable start here in Cleveland, with the Browns currently sitting winless at 0-2 after losing badly to the Ravens 41-17 and facing a gauntlet of a schedule over the course of the next five to six weeks.

The Browns offense statistically hasn’t had the worst start to the season, with their passing attack having their moments, but the rushing attack has been virtually non-existent aside from a few noteworthy plays from their rookie tandem. Week 1 was more of a positive note, but Sunday’s game against Baltimore gave fans many negatives to make note of.

Some of those negatives can’t be attributed to play-calling however, with 40-year-old Joe Flacco showing signs of serious regression compared to a couple seasons ago in his time with the Browns in 2023; dropped passes and turnovers have also been a common issue. 

If the Bruins do make a push for Rees and we see him head back to the college ranks, that leaves the Browns in a position that wouldn’t necessarily be a detriment to the team and their season. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has been calling plays for the Browns since 2020, with the 2024 season being an exception, but to this point has remained in charge of calling plays.

Rees’s current roles with the Browns revolves around offensive game planning, which mainly includes developing their offensive system, while overall leading the team’s offense aside from Kevin Stefanski’s play calls. 

In the meantime, the Browns will prepare for their matchup at home with the undefeated Green Bay Packers this Sunday at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio.