Grant Udinski Draws Browns Head-Coach Interview, Shakes Up NFL Offseason

The Cleveland Browns have officially entered the 2026 coaching-carousel sweepstakes by requesting permission to interview Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski for their vacant head-coach position, league sources confirmed Monday afternoon. Udinski, who celebrated his 30th birthday the same day the request hit league offices, is the NFL’s latest meteoric riser. After finishing his playing career as a defensive end at Towson in 2017, he jumped into coaching as a Baylor graduate assistant (2018), earned quality-control stripes with the Carolina Panthers (2020-21), and fast-tracked through the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive staff before Liam Coen hired him to coordinate Jacksonville’s offense in 2025. Although Coen called plays this season, insiders credit Udinski for modernizing the Jags’ passing concepts and overseeing quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s career-best 71.4 QBR. Why the Browns are interested • Youth movement: Cleveland owner Jimmy Haslam has long admired the Rams’ 2017 gamble on 30-year-old Sean McVay. Udinski offers a similarly forward-thinking profile without the hefty buyout attached to veteran coaches. • Offensive pedigree: The Browns ranked 24th in scoring and 28th in explosive-pass rate after Deshaun Watson’s season-ending shoulder injury. Udinski’s spread-to-pro hybrid system—heavy on pre-snap motion and condensed splits—mirrors the Browns’ skill-position strengths. • Leadership buzz: Multiple league executives told PFT that Udinski “owns every room he steps into,” a trait Cleveland values after cycling through three head coaches in six seasons. Potential hurdles 1. Play-calling experience: Unlike McVay or Kyle Shanahan when they landed top jobs, Udinski has never called NFL plays for a full season. Browns GM Andrew Berry must decide whether schematic creativity outweighs that gap. 2. Contractual logistics: Because Udinski is not Jacksonville’s primary play-caller, the Jaguars cannot block a head-coach interview, but they could sweeten his current deal and promise 2026 play-calling duties to keep him in Duval. 3. Competition: The Falcons, Raiders and Chargers are also expected to target innovative offensive minds; early interviews can set the market. What’s next in Cleveland The Browns plan to interview at least six candidates. League sources indicate Coen, Eagles DC Vic Fangio and Lions OC Ben Johnson are also on the short list. If Udinski impresses in his first formal interview, Cleveland could schedule a second meeting before the divisional-round weekend, mirroring their 2020 Kevin Stefanski timeline. Impact on Jacksonville Losing Udinski after only one season would force the Jaguars to reshuffle a staff that helped finish 12-5 and earn the AFC’s No. 2 seed. Insiders point to assistant QB coach Spencer Whipple as an internal favorite to replace him should he depart. Big picture Udinski embodies the NFL’s accelerating embrace of data-driven, player-centric coaching. If Cleveland believes his upside matches the hype, the Dawg Pound could see its youngest sideline leader since the franchise’s 1999 reboot—one whose offensive blueprint is designed for today’s high-scoring AFC. Keywords: Grant Udinski, Cleveland Browns head coach interview, Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator, NFL coaching carousel 2026, young offensive minds in NFL