Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels Takes Himself Out Of Running For Browns Head Coaching Job

Have you ever seen two parties interact and the result leads you to respond similar to "that's SO them!"? Such is the case with the Cleveland Browns and current Patriots offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels. Once the frontrunner for the open head coaching gig, McDaniels has apparently taken himself out of the race.

Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has withdrawn from consideration for the Cleveland Browns HC job, per a league source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 8, 2014

McDaniels has shown a penchant for some off-beat behavior, particularly when he was the head coach of the Denver Broncos. As the head guy in the Mile High City, McDaniels shipped off his franchise quarterback, Jay Cutler, along with one of the league's best wideouts in Brandon Marshall. He opted to move forward with Kyle Orton as his starter and also drafted quarterback Tim Tebow with a first round pick.

Mmmmk.

The Browns, on the other hand, have been searching for a quarterback and a head coach to cling onto ever since they re-entered the league back in 1999. They have gone through a myriad of options at both jobs and are currently paying close to $50 million to coaches that they've fired in recent years. Yikes.

Still, McDaniels has found his productive niche once again while residing in Bill Belichick's hip pocket. As the offensive coordinator there this season, McDaniels, Belichick and Tom Brady have waded through onslaught of missing pieces on offense to a 12-4 record and a No.2 seed in the playoffs. That has to say something about McDaniels coaching prowess this year.

Other names connected to the Browns job have been Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops, Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn and Vanderbilt's James Franklin. Defensive coordinator Ray Horton has left to "pursue other options" and the team is likely going to hire former Lions head coach Jim Schwartz as their new defensive coordinator.