Jan 24, 2026
3 min read
, Ohio -- Can Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinsky, who just turned 30 on Jan. 12, convince the Browns in his second interview today that he has what it takes to lead such a young team?
If the Browns hire Udinsky, who they really like, he will be the youngest coach in the NFL, beating the Rams' Sean McVay, who was hired for 30 years, 353 days in 2017.Udinsky will interview again for the Bulls head coaching position on Sunday, his second head coaching opportunity this cycle.
The browns also have their other Three Finalists in Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz, Ravens Offensive coordinator Tadoodinator Nate Schellhaus.Black interviewed a second time on Monday and mock Tuesday, and both remain in the mix after the meetings.They will speak with Schellhaus in person after the NFC Championship game Monday, possibly in Los Angeles.In
The Browns also have to negotiate with someone other than Schielhaus to satisfy the Rooney rule.In addition, two of their finalists, Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, withdrew from the search this week due to other opportunities and may have thought they weren't in the top four.Minter was appointed.Thursday as the Ravens' head coach, and McDaniel is in talks with the Bills.He's also likely to become the Chargers' offensive coordinator.
Increase Brown's coverage
The Browns appear to be leaning toward one of their two younger candidates in Udinski and Schellhase, 35, and are hoping Schwartz will want to stay as coordinator if he isn't promoted.But they also like Monken and Schwartz, and could end up with Monken as head coach and Schwartz as coordinator.Or they could hire Schwartz as head coach and try to hire one of their other three finalists for offensive coordinator.
But if Udzinski and Scheelhaase talk in person as well as virtually, the Browns could hire one of them next week.
For Udinski, the difference between him and the youngest head coach ever hired in the NFL is that McVay has three years of experience as a coordinator in Washington from 2014-16, including the last two as a highly successful player.Udinski, who is in his first year as the Jaguars' coordinator, hasn't made a play at any point in his career, but has brought a McVay-like spirit and wisdom into his years.
Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, a former Browns linebackers coach, told the Minnesota Star Tribune that interviewing Udinski in 2022 for his assistant coaching opening was "like interviewing a guy who can build a car from scratch for a job washing cars."
"He has such incredible understanding, offense and defense, from his background. His total football energy is something I really admire. I always joke with him, 'Man, nobody loves football like you.' His mind never strayed from it."
The Browns, who are on a mission to produce an explosive offense, are not looking for a high-performance player to replace Kevin Stefanski.They are looking for the right franchise leader to compete for a Super Bowl and win consistently in the near future.Additionally, they are looking for the right person to guide their young, rebuilding team into a championship contender.
"It's not just positional leadership, but I would say leadership more globally," brought a head coach, it's someone who has to be able to lead your players leading through the firing of Kevin Stefanski.“Because they are really tough seasons.
He added that the coach/GM relationship is like a marriage.
"You have to work side-by-side and fight back-to-back. And that's very important because I think you have to be unified in how you deploy your team."
But Udinski, now in his seventh season in the NFL, has more life experience than most people his age, having traveled the world, mostly solo, hiking and backpacking in remote places like an island off the coast of Finland or the Hardangerfjord in Norway.
"It's more the experiences that I've had that have gotten me to this point," Yudinsky said last year when he was signed by the Jaguars."I can't control the number of my age, so it's not something that worries me too much. I say that I take every possible step and I'm ready to do whatever responsibility comes my way."
O'Connell noted this about Udinski's journey: "He's not staying in the most luxurious accommodations. He's lying on the side of a mountain somewhere. I mean, if we could make his life one day when he wasn't playing football. It would be a lot more interesting than when he was."
Udinski also slept in his car in the Wal-Mart parking lot for a week at Baylor when he broke into the business as a graduate assistant to Matt Rhule in 2019. Assistant defensive coordinator Phil Snow found out and invited Udinski to stay with him.
Udinsky, who played one season at tight end for Davidson College in 2015 and three seasons at defensive back at Towson from 2016–18, took over as the Panthers' head coach in 2020–21 after Rhule served as an assistant coach at Carolina.
Following a strong recommendation from former Browns coach Mike Pettine, who attended high school with Wudynski's parents in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, O'Connell hired Wudynski in 2022 as assistant head coach and special projects, a hybrid role that gave him exposure to advanced offensive tactics and game preparation.Due to his performance, he was promoted to assistant quarterback coach in 2023 and was responsible for quarterback development.
That season was tumultuous due to quarterback injuries, and Udinski helped prepare several standouts — including Kirk Cousins, Jaren Hall, Joshua Dobbs and Nick Mullens — as starters.In 2024, Udinski helped No. 10 overall pick J.J.McCarthy before and after his season ending torn meniscus.
McCarthy later said: "I think that's where real intelligence, real wisdom is: simplifying complex ideas.""You wouldn't know that he's the smartest person in the room. That's what I really admire about him."
The ability to develop a young quarterback is valuable in this pursuit, considering the Browns could start pro Sophomore Shedeur Sanders or a rookie in 2026 or draft a quarterback in 2027.
Udinsky also helped revive the career of Sam Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick in 2018 in 2024, who went 14-3 for career-highs in completion percentage (66.2), yards (4,319) and touchdowns (35).
That season, the Vikings offense finished in the top 10 in the NFL in multiple categories, including sixth in passing yards per game (237.8), seventh in passing yards per game (7.38), ninth in points per game (25.4), and 10th in first downs per game (20.8).Minnesota was 9-1 in one-possession games in 2024, the second-best mark in the NFL.
Udinski's efforts earned him the position of Jaguars coordinator in 2025 under Liam Coen, who worked with O'Connell with the Rams under Sean McVay.
With Udinski helping to develop him and Cohen calling the plays, Trevor Lawrence produced the winningest season of his five-year career, leading the Jaguars to a 13-4 record and the AFC South title.In 17 starts, he completed 341 of 560 passes for 4,007 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, finishing with a 91.0.235.7 passer rating.
He also rushed 82 times for 359 yards and nine TDs, showing his dual-threat ability.
"I've never met anyone like him," Lawrence said after the game."The way he approaches the preparation process, the attention to detail, the overall game plan, the things he thinks about, the conversations we have throughout the week. It's a very detailed process and he leaves no stone unturned with the way he treats us in the quarterback room," Lawrence said.
The Jaguars' season ended in dramatic, heartbreaking fashion with a 27-24 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card game at EverBank Stadium, ending an otherwise impressive campaign.But Udinsky's impact on the offense and Lawrence has not gone unnoticed.
The unit ranks sixth in the league with 474 total points (27.9 per game), which is a remarkable change in recent years.The unit ranks 11th in total offense, averaging 351.9 yards per game, emphasizing a more dynamic and efficient offense.
The Browns will complete two more interviews and likely hire them by next week.
Football Insider Newsletter Free Trial: Take a moment to sign up for a free trial of our Football Insider newsletter, featuring exclusive content from Browns reporters.
