Lerner sees Pioli; McKay on deck

By TONY GROSSI

Mike Shanahan may even be in the mix.

CLEVELAND — Browns owner Randy Lerner, who has been accused of being out of the loop during a tumultuous 4-12 season, is doing all the face-to-face interviews with candidates for the team’s general manager and head coach vacancies.

Lerner met with New England vice president Scott Pioli on Wednesday and is scheduled to interview Atlanta Falcons President Rich McKay today.

Browns President Mike Keenan joined Lerner, but did not sit in on the Pioli interview, raising speculation that a deal was near.

Adam Schefter of NFL.com reported the Browns wanted an answer from Pioli before they left him. But that report was discounted by a source familiar with Lerner’s process, who said, “I would be surprised” if Lerner did not hold off a contract offer until he interviewed McKay, as scheduled.

New England also has given Kansas City permission to interview Pioli for the Chiefs’ general manager job.

Also, it was learned that the Browns formally will interview T.J. McCreight on Friday. McCreight was director of player personnel and was regarded as former general manager Phil Savage’s right-hand man.

On the coaching front, Lerner already has met with fired Jets coach Eric Mangini and has scheduled interviews with New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and, according to multiple reports, New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

The surprise name in the mix now is Mike Shanahan, whose abrupt firing by the Denver Broncos has rocked the NFL.

The Browns, said the source, were seeking to make contact with Shanahan’s representative to set up an interview.

“How can you not?” said the source.

Shanahan said at his farewell press conference in Denver that he intended to coach again.

“I can’t give you a time frame,” he said. “I love the NFL, so I don’t see getting out of it, but you just don’t know.”

Shanahan was the most successful coach in Denver Broncos history, winning back-to-back Super Bowl championships following the 1997 and ’98 seasons.