Arians would consider coaching Browns but recommends Pagano

Retired head coach Bruce Arians is open to returning to the NFL sidelines, although he has a specific opportunity in mind.

"Cleveland is the only job I would consider," the CBS analyst told Steve Doerschuk of CantonRep.com during a break from coverage of Sunday's game between the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs.

The Browns are the only team that's fired a head coach this season. Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley were both dismissed last week.

Arians, 66, retired in January after five seasons as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. He'd previously held coordinator and assistant roles with the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints, and Kansas City Chiefs - as well as the Browns, having served as Cleveland's offensive coordinator from 2001-03.

Arians recommends one of his former colleagues as the team's next full-time head coach.

"My guy would be Chuck Pagano," said Arians.

Pagano coached the Browns' secondary when Arians was in Cleveland. The Colts named him head coach in 2012, and he hired Arians as offensive coordinator. Following Pagano's leukemia diagnosis early that season, Arians went 9-3 in an interim role and ultimately earned NFL Coach of the Year honors. Pagano returned to coach the Colts in Week 17 and kept the position until he was fired at the end of last season. Arians left Indianapolis after the 2012 campaign, accepting the job with the Cardinals.

Arians was also named the 2014 Coach of the Year and is a two-time Super Bowl champion as an assistant.

Gregg Williams is coaching the Browns under an interim title for the remainder of this season.

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