As the Cleveland Browns' 2026 coaching search intensifies, a fascinating candidate has emerged who shares more than just a division with the Browns.
Dan Pitcher, the Bengals' highly-regarded offensive coordinator, is going to interview to be the Browns next head coach. Turns out Andrew Berry has a past with him.
Pitcher turns 39 next week and came up in the Colts scouting department at the same time as Browns GM Andrew Berry. Pitcher has spent the last two seasons as Bengals OC, replacing Brian Callahan when he was hired to be the Titans head coach. Https://t.co/yABQ0oT7qd
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) January 7, 2026
The pair spent four developmental years together in the Indianapolis Colts' personnel department from 2012 to 2015. From there Pitcher went to the Cincinnati Bengals in 2016.
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He became QB coach when Joe Burrow was drafted in 2020, and got promoted to offensive coordinator in 2024. Pitcher is the unspoken "secret sauce" to Burrow's success.
Here's how the Bengals offense has ranked since he's been OC:
| 2024 Rank/Stat | 2025 Rank/Stat | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Offense | 9th (365.5 YPG) | 17th (329.2 YPG) |
| Points Per Game | 6th (27.8 PPG) | 12th (24.4 PPG) |
| Passing Offense | 1st (272.9 YPG) | 6th (235.6 YPG) |
| Rushing Offense | 30th (92.6 YPG) | 29th (93.6 YPG) |
Burrow missing games due to injury plus a below average O-line is part of what led to the dip in numbers this year.
A Bengals writer from The Athletic said this about Pitcher and his future as a possible head coach:
One of the most stunning developments of last year's coaching cycle was that Pitcher didn't get more attention.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) January 7, 2026
Have long pointed out his background (scouting, analytics, star QBs, OC, rebuilding from scratch) are uniquely suited as HC candidate. Been a rising star for a while. Https://t.co/utmLL9uRhA
Those notes check a lot of boxes under the Andrew Berry front office that possess the largest analytics department in the NFL. A young rising star, who values data, masterminded a prolific offense, and that Berry has a relationship with.
Could Pitcher be the coach that develops Shedeur Sanders, or unlocks Deshaun Watson's past glory? He may be an unknown now, but Browns fans should start getting familiar with the name Dan Pitcher.
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