Commanders Could Lose Anthony Lynn to Browns or Bills Head Coaching Jobs

ASHBURN, Va. – The Washington Commanders’ 2026 coaching staff is far from settled right now and might be losing a key veteran coach to add to the turnover after running backs/run game coordinator Anthony Lynn interviewed over the weekend for the Cleveland Browns’ vacant head coach position, first reported by Josina Anderson.

The Browns themselves later announced they’d conducted the interview with Lynn, and it was the second such interview the Commanders’ coach had taken that day alone after also meeting with the Buffalo Bills.

A familiar connection

ESPN’s Adam Schefter shared an interesting piece of information as well, noting that former Los Angeles Chargers general manager Tom Telesco is consulting with Cleveland during its search. Three stops before his last two years with Washington, Lynn worked with Telesco and the Chargers from 2017 to 2020.

Lynn also has familiarity with both the Bills and the Browns organizations. He worked for the Bills in 2015 and 2016 in varying roles, including assistant head coach, running backs coach, and was the interim offensive coordinator after Greg Roman was fired in that second season, and interim head coach for one game after Rex Ryan was also let go.

In the 2017 offseason, Buffalo hired Sean McDermott to be its new head coach, and Lynn went to the Chargers, where he led that team for four seasons before back-to-back losing records ultimately resulted in his being fired.

Dec 29, 2019; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn watches play on the sidelines during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Lynn’s history in the AFC

Lynn was the running backs coach in Cleveland for two years, in 2007 and 2008, and filled the same position with the New York Jets beginning in 2009, eventually working his way up to becoming the team’s assistant head coach in 2013 and 2014.

In a story published on the team’s website, Browns associate editor and staff writer Kelsey Russo noted that, “Lynn has established strong ground games at each of his stops in the NFL…[and]brings previous experience as a head coach, as he was the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers for four seasons. Lynn's most successful year came in 2018, when the Chargers earned a playoff berth with a 12-4 record, which included them winning seven of their nine games after a Week 8 bye.

“Lynn is a two-time Super Bowl champion, as he was a member of Denver Broncos' back-to-back Super Bowl teams in 1997 and 1998. He spent his NFL career as a reserve running back and special teams player from 1992-99, first entering the league as an undrafted free agent with the New York Giants. …Lynn played college football at Texas Tech University from 1988-1991 as a running back.”

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Compensatory pick implications

If Lynn were to land either the Cleveland or Buffalo head coaching jobs, Washington would receive third-round compensatory picks in 2026 and 2027 as a result of an incentives program created by the NFL that rewards teams who develop minority coaches and/or executives who are subsequently hired to head coach or general manager positions. The minimum time a candidate has to be with his or her current team is two years before the team would be eligible for compensation, meaning that the Commanders would benefit from the program should Lynn be hired away for one of these top positions.

While the coaching staff would miss Lynn’s veteran presence, especially with David Blough entering his first season as the offensive coordinator and play-caller in Washington, the team would certainly benefit from the addition of mid-round draft capital.

Currently, Commanders general manager Adam Peters has just two picks in the first four rounds after sending his 2026 2nd and 4th round selections to the Houston Texans as part of the deal that brought left tackle Laremy Tunsil in last offseason.

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