The 2026 NFL coaching carousel is underway, and this year it includes an international wrinkle.
The Browns fired head coach Kevin Stefanski earlier this week and have begun the search for his replacement.
Cleveland has requested permission to interview Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde for the vacancy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.
The request follows Cleveland’s interest in speaking with Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
Durde has spent the past two seasons on Mike Macdonald’s staff in Seattle. It is his first stint as an NFL defensive coordinator, though Macdonald retains play-calling duties.
Aden Durde would be the first British-born NFL head coach
A native of England, Durde began his NFL career as a coaching intern with the Cowboys in 2014 and has also coached with the Falcons.
According to cleveland.com, Durde began in the NFL as a Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship intern with Dallas in 2014-15, later joined Atlanta through the same program, became the first British-born full-time NFL coach in 2018, and by 2020 was coaching the Falcons’ outside linebackers.
From 2021-23, Durde served as the Cowboys’ defensive line coach.
Durde first fell in love with American football while growing up in North London, played six seasons in NFL Europe, and spent time on NFL practice squads.
He is the first British-born defensive coordinator in NFL history and, if hired, would become the first head coach born in England.
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