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Top 5 Browns head coaching candidates

By Jonathan Bass

Aug 15, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Heads Up Football logo on the helmet of Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Billy Winn (90) in the third quarter of a preseason game against the Detroit Lions at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 15, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Heads Up Football logo on the helmet of Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Billy Winn (90) in the third quarter of a preseason game against the Detroit Lions at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 15, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL football game at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 15, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL football game at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Doug Pederson

If we were having this conversation in, say, late September/early Octover then Doug Pederson’s name would be nowhere near this list. Kansas City was mired in a losing streak and looked wholly ineffective. Fast forward to January and Pederson’s name is skyrocketing up the list for potential replacements. That’s what happens when a team goes from 1-5 to rip off a remarkable winning streak and make the playoffs.

Critics will question whether Pederson’s success as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator is a byproduct of head coach Andy Reid, and there might be some merit there. However, Pederson’s offense has performed ridiculously well when you consider the team’s best player, Jamaal Charles was lost for the season midway through the year due to a knee injury. He has used a stable of running backs to shoulder the load and called games so that Alex Smith can play within himself. Moreover, as the year has progressed, Smith has looked more and more like a leader on the field with each successive week.

Pederson also comes from a coaching tree that includes not only Reid, but the great Don Shula.

Should he get the job, Pederson would hold the honor (?) of having his name both on the long list of Cleveland Browns quarterbacks and head coaches since 1999.

Next: Josh McDaniels

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