Josh McDaniels removes himself as candidate for Browns' job, per report

Josh McDaniels returned to New England in 2012 after stints with the Rams and Broncos. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images) With the Cleveland Browns coaching job

Josh McDaniels returned to New England in 2012 after stints with the Rams and Broncos. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

With the Cleveland Browns coaching job possibly his for the taking, Josh McDaniels has decided to stay put. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that McDaniels has "withdrawn from consideration" for the Browns' gig, which came available after Rob Chudzinski was fired last week.

"One person who knows Josh McDaniels said he had 'an awesome' meeting with Browns," Schefter tweeted, "but it isn’t right time for him to become a head coach."

The 37-year-old McDaniels delivered a short roller-coaster ride of a regime with the 2009 and '10 Broncos. Denver started 6-0 in McDaniels' first season, only to finish 8-8; he was fired after a 3-9 start to the subsequent year.

After a one year stop as the Rams' offensive coordinator, McDaniels returned to New England just in time for the 2012 playoffs and inherited the offensive coordinator gig from Bill O'Brien the following season.

He's apparently in no rush to leave the role -- Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland speculated that part of McDaniels' reasoning may stem from the belief that he is "in line to succeed Bill Belichick with the Patriots." The 61-year-old Belichick has given no indication that he's nearing the end of the line, but if all goes well with McDaniels between now and then, such a move may make sense for New England.

Cleveland, meanwhile, has to go back to the drawing board.

The NFL Network reported Tuesday that the franchise planned to interview current Green Bay quarterbacks coach Bob McAdoo. Previously, Arizona defensive coordinator Todd Bowles interviewed for the job.

There also have been rumors that Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops could be on the Browns' radar. Stoops has played coy on the subject, offering a "You never know" when asked last week. The Associated Press reported, however, that the Browns are not interested in Stoops.

McDaniels' decision to pass on the Browns' position ought to put a kibosh on the notion of Cleveland signing Tim Tebow -- McDaniels was headed into his second year with the Broncos when Tebow was drafted, then pushed Tebow into the lineup for three starts in 2010.

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