The public relations nightmare that is the search for the Cleveland Browns head coaching job gets worse by the day.
Multiple media reports cited the withdrawal of Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase for the position Tuesday. The search now turns to Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine.
The process, however, has been a disaster from the moment the team fired first-year coach Rob Chudzinski on the day the 2013 regular season ended.
According to businessinsider.com, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniel, Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, former Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops and Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Ben McAdoo join Gase on the list of candidates linked to the job but pulled out of the search for one reason or another.
News-herald.com adds that San Diego Chargers Ken Whisenhunt also interviewed for the position but went to the Tennessee Titans instead.
Meanwhile Cleveland.com is reporting that former Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, who spent three years in Cleveland from 2010-12, says several of his former teammates were embarrassed by Chudzinski's firing after just one season.
"I talked to some of the players right after they fired Chud and they sounded deflated, confused and frankly embarrassed by what happened," Fujita said. "I've been out of football for a year now and I'm a fan of the Cleveland Browns. It's hard to watch what is going on there. I really feel bad for the fans and players like D'Qwell (Jackson) and Joe Thomas who have been there for so long."
"Right now, it seems like they are a rudderless ship," Fujita said. "(CEO) Joe Banner does not have the best reputation with some players and coaches. It makes you wonder if there will be a trickle-down effect."
NFL.com reported last week that prospective candidates were calling Chudzinkski to find out why he was fired after only one season, which has hurt the Browns coaching search. The news-herald pointed out that six other NFL teams have fired and hired coaches and that the new head coach will be the team's third head coach on the payroll for 2014 with former coaches Pat Shurmur and Chudzinski getting paid not to coach.
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