Greetings from the ice planet Hoth, where our Tauntaun is in the stable, ready in case we need to venture out today. Not really, but it’s chilly at -3 degrees as we wake up this morning on the North Coast of America.
That makes it a perfect day to stay inside, have a cocktail or perhaps an Irish ale, and watch sports.
The early window brings five games in the Premier League, starting with Sunderland at West Ham United at 7:30 a.m. and wrapping up with Liverpool taking on AFC Bournemouth at 12:30 p.m.
If college basketball is your thing, there is no shortage of games, with a handful tipping off at 11 a.m. and running all the way to 11:59 p.m. when Cal State Northridge takes on Hawaii.
Reading is also a great way to pass a cold day, even better if you can find a warm pub and a cold pint to enjoy while you read. We just finished Wings, The Story of a Band on the Run, and highly recommend it.
Still, there is no football taking place for the first time in months, so the day feels off.
Luckily, the Cleveland Browns and their meandering search for a new head coach is around to keep everyone amused.
OK, enough stalling. Let’s get the day started with the latest on the Browns and the NFL in today’s edition of the Saturday Dawg Chow.
Dawgs By Nature:
- Browns head coach interviews are ‘unlike any other,’ includes homework, essays (Jared Mueller) – According to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, the Cleveland Browns search process for a head coach is “unlike any other in the NFL” and includes things like essays, personality profiles, tests, and more.
- Browns NFL draft, head coach search: When winning is losing (Jared Mueller) – “Wins for the culture” has led to problems for the Cleveland Browns as they search for a head coach and plan for the NFL Draft.
- Cleveland Browns fans think Sean McDermott could be their top candidate … but no interview in sight yet (Chris Pokorny) – Browns fans are ready to jump on the opportunity to hire Sean McDermott, but his future remains a mystery.
- Browns head coach search: Coaching legend with proven offenses willing to take the job (Barry Shuck) – The Cleveland Browns still have options as they search for a head coach, but they are dwindling. Could this coaching legend be the guy?
- Which former Cleveland Browns are represented in the NFL postseason this year? (Chris Pokorny) – Sunday brings the AFC and NFC Championship Games. Are there any former members of the Cleveland Browns who will still be playing (or on a team’s roster) this weekend?
- Browns head coach search: Growing concern on timing (Abby Mueller) – The Cleveland Browns are a few weeks into the head coaching search, but the team has yet to make a decision on who to hire.
- Former Browns WR Frank Pitts Jr. passes away (Thomas Moore) – Frank Pitts Jr. won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs and left his mark in Cleveland despite playing just three seasons with the Browns.
Cleveland Browns:
- The Browns’ coaching search isn’t completely broken, but holding it together won’t be easy (cleveland.com) – The Cleveland Browns’ reputation will always precede them in everything they do. It’s well-earned, after all. This has rarely been an organization that felt like it had much of a plan — or is willing to stick to one when it does.
- If Browns want to keep Jim Schwartz, is hiring him as head coach their best option? (The Athletic) – Assuming the Cleveland Browns interview Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase next week, when the NFL’s coaching-search rules allow, the team will have completed at least four second interviews with head-coaching candidates.
- Browns rebuild their offense in Mel Kiper’s 2026 NFL mock draft (Beacon Journal) – It’s not draft season until the guru of the NFL’s annual talent search, Mel Kiper, begins his prognostications. Kiper has been doing it longer than anyone else and still serves as ESPN’s lead analyst. He released his first look at the 2026 draft this week.
- Browns still searching for a coach as I ponder Myles Garrett as a QB and long to hold the Super Bowl trophy (Browns Zone) – Hey, whadda you know? The Cleveland Browns, who still don’t have a coach and barely have a team, are apparently still walking the streets looking for the next Vince Lombardi.
NFL:
- Philip Rivers interviewing for Bills’ head coaching position (NFL.com) – The Buffalo Bills are interviewing retired quarterback Philip Rivers on Friday for their head coaching job, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per sources informed of the meeting.
- Can new coach Jesse Minter provide impact for Jackson, Ravens? (ESPN) – About an hour after the Baltimore Ravens announced Jesse Minter as their new head coach on Thursday night, a high-ranking team official was told that Minter has been described as a “legitimate genius.”
- Sean McVay vs. Mike Macdonald is the next phase in the NFL’s scheme wars (The Ringer) – The NFC Championship game between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks features the league’s best offensive and defensive play callers, who have designed their schemes to defeat each other
