NFL Report: two NFL championship rule out against…
The Cleveland Browns have added two names to the offensive staff. Here is a list of who has interviewed and offensive coordinator candidates that make sense for the Cleveland Browns and Kevin Stefanski.
The Cleveland Browns dismissed three offensive coaches only days after their January 13 wild-card defeat to the Houston Texans.
Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reported on Wednesday morning, January 17, that the organization decided to fire offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. The Browns also will move on from running backs coach Stump Mitchell and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney.
With the new opening at offensive coordinator, Kevin Stefanski will be looking to add a sharp and innovative offensive mind to the staff.
The Browns have moved quickly and made two hires on the offensive side of the ball.
Running Backs Coach: Duce Staley
Staley interviewed with the Browns and the Jets and will reportedly accept the job in Cleveland.
Staley was with the Eagles from 2011 until 2020. He took a position with the Lions in 2021 to take on both associate head coach and running backs coach positions. He continued to serve in the same capacity with the Panthers under the head coach Frank Reich until the beginning of the 2023 season. However, on November 27, he was terminated along with Reich and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown.
Tight Ends Coach: Tommy Rees
Rees served as Alabama’s offensive coordinator for one season under Nick Saban. After Saban announced his retirement, new coach Kalen DeBoer declined to keep Rees.
It is not shocking that Rees wasn’t unemployed for long. He formerly served as Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator and has an excellent reputation.
The position with the Browns will be his second in the NFL. In 2016, he worked as an offensive assistant for the Chargers.
Offensive Coordinator Candidates Interviewed
The Browns have interviewed three candidates for the offensive coordinator position as of Wednesday.
New Note: They are planning on interviewing former Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson on Thursday.
Jerrod Johnson – Quarterbacks Coach, Houston Texans
Johnson has had a significant influence on the growth of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. Johnson coached for Kyle Shanahan for a year, Frank Reich for three seasons, and Kevin O’Connell and Bobby Slowik since.
Johnson’s endorsements from all those offensive brains and his superb track record in quarterback development make him an impressive candidate who will be getting a lot of attention after what he and Slowik accomplished this season.