Why Grant Udinski Should Turn Down the Browns Job

Landing a head coaching job in the NFL is a dream come true, but not all openings are the same.

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski walks on the field during warmups before an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jacksonville Jaguars Offensive Coordinator Grant Udinski concluded his interview for the Cleveland Browns' head coaching vacancy on Saturday, January 17. By all reports, he absolutely killed it. Teams are granted three hours to meet with their chosen candidates. Cleveland's brass used up the entire 240 minutes with Udinski.

The Browns' braintrust was so impressed that they elected to bring Udinski back for a second meeting, this time in person as opposed to over Zoom. Cleveland has scheduled follow-up interviews with several candidates, including the Miami Dolphins' former head coach, Mike McDaniel, and their own defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz. But the chance that Udinski is hired away just got a lot more realistic for the Jaguars and their fans.

Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski speaks with quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during a timeout in the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Cleveland Browns aren't the right opportunity

The Jacksonville Jaguars and their fans are hoping that the Cleveland Browns choose a different candidate and allow the team to keep its young coaching staff intact for another run at the Super Bowl. Obviously, the more success the Jags find, the more likely it is that other franchises circle them to pick off their parts in hopes of emulating their accomplishments. But Jacksonville would like at least another season of continuity to see what this group can do.

It's more than just the thought of losing Grant Udinski, though; it's also the fear of seeing him fail. The Browns haven't exactly been the model of stability in the NFL. After all, they just fired Kevin Stefanski, a two-time Coach of the Year who brought Cleveland two playoff appearances in six years, which is more than their previous ten head coaches did, combined.

Bright young coaching mind hamstrung by the franchise's consistent failures at the QB position, tied to the lowest rated QB in the league because of public opinion.

Set up for failure, fired after 2 years.

The Cleveland way.

— Rewind Jax (@RewindJax) January 17, 2026

Ultimately, Stefanski, an offensive mind like Udinski, was hamstrung by the Browns' roster mismanagement. Cleveland never found much success on his side of the ball during his tenure, but he was also forced to work with an abysmal run of quarterbacks, which featured players such as Dillon Gabriel, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Case Keenum. The team also couldn't afford to upgrade the position, as they elected to sign Deshaun Watson to a five-year, $230 million, fully guaranteed contract.

If Udinski signs with the Browns, he'll have to work with Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders, a free agent, or a new rookie quarterback, and Cleveland doesn't even have a top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. There's only so much adversity that coaching can overcome. The NFL has seen plenty of coaches with one uninspiring stint who never landed another opportunity again. That could be the fate that befalls Udinski if he signs with the Browns. Still just 30 years old, it wouldn't be the worst move for him to bide his time and wait for a better situation.

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