The Cleveland Browns have looked to the Bill Belichick coaching tree twice in the last decade in hopes of ending their seemingly never-ending string of futility.
Now they appear interested in kicking the tires on another coordinator groomed under Belichick.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the Browns have requested an interview with New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as they begin to search for yet another head coach.
The Browns have twice fired former Patriots defensive coordinators as head coach. Romeo Crennel came directly from New England to serve as head coach from 2005-08 before getting fired with a 24-40 overall record. Cleveland then hired Eric Mangini after a three-year run as head coach of the New York Jets. Mangini was 10-22 in two seasons with the Browns.
Patricia has been with the Patriots since 2004 when he began as an offensive coaching assistant. He moved to assistant offensive line coach in 2005, linebackers coach in 2006, safeties coach in 2011 and then was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2012.