The Cleveland Browns have officially kicked off their search for a new head coach after parting ways with Kevin Stefanski. After six seasons in charge and two Coach of the Year awards, Stefanski leaves big shoes to fill as the franchise looks for a leader who can finally take it to the next level. While several names are already in the mix for the vacant head coaching position in Cleveland, reports suggest that the team recently snuck in an interview with a candidate who was recently linked to the HC job with the Buffalo Bills.

“NEW: I’m told Anthony Lynn just completed an in-person interview with the Cleveland #Browns, per a league source. It was Lynn’s first interview with Cleveland, I’m told,” NFL Insider Josina Anderson reported via X on January 24. 

Interestingly, the Bills also announced on January 24 that they interviewed Washington Commanders running backs coach and run game coordinator Anthony Lynn. Now, Lynn might suddenly be a popular name in Cleveland because of Tom Telesco, who is serving as an advisor to the Browns during this coaching search. While Telesco previously worked as the Los Angeles Chargers’ general manager, he was also the one who hired Lynn as the Chargers’ head coach back in 2017. 

Before becoming a coach, though, Anthony Lynn put together a solid playing career. During the 1990s, he spent six seasons in the NFL as a running back with the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos and won two Super Bowls. After retiring, Lynn jumped into coaching in 2000 with the Broncos as a running backs coach. 

The 57-year-old then worked with five different teams over the next 15 years and built a reputation for producing physical run games. It was from 2007 to 2008 that Anthony previously worked in Cleveland. Lynn spent two seasons with the Browns and coached the team’s running back, Jamal Lewis, to consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. 

But the most successful chapter of Anthony Lynn’s coaching career came with the Chargers. In his second season as the team’s HC in 2018, he led the Chargers to a 12-4 record, which was the franchise’s best record in nearly a decade. With quarterback Philip Rivers as the starter that season, the Chargers even reached the Divisional Round game before falling 16-3 to the New England Patriots. 

It looked like Anthony Lynn was building something special in Los Angeles. Then came the 2020 season, when he played a major role in developing rookie QB Justin Herbert. That season, Herbert set NFL rookie records for most offensive touchdowns (36) and most passing touchdowns (31). 

Still, the Chargers failed to reach the playoffs in Anthony Lynn’s final two seasons as their HC, and after a 7-9 finish in 2020, the team fired him. Fair or not, that ending still hangs over Lynnn’s coaching candidacy today.

After that, Anthony Lynn joined the Detroit Lions as their offensive coordinator in 2021. But when Lions’ head coach Dan Campbell took over play-calling duties midway through that 2021 season, the team moved on from Lynn after his one-season stint. From there, Lynn joined the 49ers as an assistant head coach and running backs coach from 2022 to 2023, and that stop helped rebuild his reputation.

With the 49ers, Lynn worked closely with stars like running back Christian McCaffrey and fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Under Lynn’s coaching, McCaffrey even led the NFL in rushing yards in 2023 with 1,459 yards, and the Niners reached their first NFC Championship Game since 2019. 

Anthony Lynn then joined the Commanders in 2024. But after Washington wrapped up a 5–12 2025 season, change is clearly coming. That opens the door for Lynn to jump to Cleveland, or even Buffalo, if either team decides he’s their guy. For now, Lynn officially joins four other candidates in the Browns’ search for their next head coach.

Who are the other potential HC candidates the Browns have already interviewed? 

While the Browns fired Kevin Stefanski following a 5-12 season, he soon landed the head coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons. Meanwhile, NFL insider Tom Pelissero recently reported that the Browns are leaning heavily on data-driven evaluations in their search for a new HC. While it’s a bizarre hiring process to replace Stefanski, it is also a sign that the new HC in Cleveland may look very different from past hires. But even with a challenging process so far, apart from Anthony Lynn, here are the coaches the Browns have already interviewed:

• Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz
• Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski
• Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase
• Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken

Monken, Schwartz, and Udinski have already completed two interviews with the Browns. Meanwhile, Scheelhaase is set for his second interview with the Browns on January 26, after his Rams face the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game this weekend. But notably, only Anthony Lynn and Schwartz bring prior NFL head coaching experience to the table. 

According to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, though, the Browns may be leaning toward one of the two young offensive minds: Scheelhaase (35) or Udinski (30). If that’s the plan, while Schwartz is under contract in Cleveland through 2026 as the DC, the Browns will be hoping to keep him to stabilize the coaching staff.

Moreover, as this head-coaching search continues, one thing is clear: the Browns believe that they need an HC who can get this team back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Whether that ends up being Anthony Lynn or another up-and-coming coach, the decision may define the Brown’s next chapter in the NFL.