There's a new contestant in the NFL coaching carousel. The Buffalo Bills fired their HC Sean McDermott following their playoff loss to the Denver Broncos...and the Cleveland Browns need to strike immediately.
Here are the top-3 reasons why the Browns should go after McDermott as their next head coach (and one reason they shouldn't).
Pros:
1. Proven Program-Building & Postseason Stability
The Browns just fired Kevin Stefanski because the team couldn't maintain consistency. McDermott is the ultimate "program builder." In Buffalo, he inherited a franchise with an 18-year playoff drought and proceeded to make the postseason in 8 of his 9 seasons. He won five straight AFC East titles (2020–2024) and has a career regular-season winning percentage of.662 (98-50). For a Cleveland team that feels "stuck," McDermott offers a guaranteed floor of competitive, high-level football.
2. A "Developer" for Shedeur Sanders
While Buffalo's loss to the Broncos was the final straw, McDermott’s praise for Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders earlier this season didn't go unnoticed. Remember he was instrumental in the development of Josh Allen (along with previous OC Brian Daboll), the 2024 MVP, taking a raw, talented prospect and turning him into a superstar. McDermott is the exact mentor needed to stabilize the quarterback room and build a culture around a young signal-caller...or maybe the man to reboot Deshaun Watson.
3. The Andrew Berry "Reunion" Factor
This wouldn't just be a knee-jerk reaction hire; it’s a decade in the making. In 2016, a young Andrew Berry and Sashi Brown wanted to hire McDermott, but were famously overruled by ownership in favor of Hue Jackson. Now that Berry has total control of the search, he can finally land the coach he wanted from the start. This alignment between the Front Office and the head coach is something owner Jimmy Haslam highly values.
More: The Top 5 free agents the Browns must bring back in 2026
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The Major Con: The Jim Schwartz Dilemma
The biggest risk in hiring McDermott is the inevitability of current defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz leaving. "Defensive Identity" clash. Schwartz' unit has been the only bright spot for this team over the last two seasons. This "D" ranked No. 1 in several categories, helped Myles Garrett break the NFL single-season sack record and likely earn a second NFL DPOY award.
Since McDermott is a defensive-minded coach who historically likes to have his fingerprints all over the scheme (and even called his own plays in 2023), it is highly unlikely he and Schwartz could coexist. Hiring him means letting Schwartz walk. Also, McDermott traditionally uses a 4-3 "zone-heavy/aggressive front" that would be a major change for Garrett. Would he alter his style to fit the current Cleveland front-seven strengths?
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