Pat Shurmur likely to be Browns next head coach

[elcheato]

Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur has emerged as the leading candidate for the Cleveland Browns' head coaching job, according to league sources.

The sources said Cleveland hopes to hammer out a contract with Shurmur within the next 48 hours and introduce Shurmur as coach at a news conference by Friday.

The contract should not be difficult to close, since Browns president Mike Holmgren, general manager Tom Heckert, executive vice president Bryan Wiedmeier and Shurmur all have the same agent, Bob Lamonte.

If Shurmur's deal falls through, the Browns could turn to former Panthers head coach John Fox, who spent Wednesday interviewing with the Broncos. Cleveland already has also interviewed Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, but Shurmur, 45, is the candidate that has commanded the most attention.

Holmgren likes Shurmur and what he can bring to the Browns, according to the sources.

Although he lacks head coaching experience, Shurmur's background running a West Coast offense and working with young quarterbacks is appealing to Holmgren, who set out on his search determined to "find exactly the right person for the job who can eventually someday lead us to the championship. That is my only goal."

Holmgren wants to expand Cleveland's offense, which languished under Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

Under Shurmur's guidance this season, Rams rookie quarterback Sam Bradford passed for 18 touchdowns and 3,512 yards -- second-most by a rookie behind Peyton Manning's 3,739 in 1998. Before joining St. Louis' staff, Shurmur coached Philadelphia's quarterbacks, and developed Donovan McNabb into one of the game's top QBs.

Hopefully he keeps Rob Ryan on his staff at DC.

 

[kam.]

How would you feel about the hire Elcheato?

 

[Hurricane Season]

This is a huge failure. Shurmur is horrible.

 

[DJT]

CLEVELAND -- Pat Shurmur's first head coaching gig is a big one.

The Cleveland Browns hired St. Louis' offensive coordinator on Thursday, ending a search for their fifth coach since 1999 that began when Eric Mangini was fired on Jan. 3. Shurmur was the first candidate interviewed by Browns president Mike Holmgren.

If Pat Shurmur can turn the Browns into consistent winners, he'll be the first coach to do so. Cleveland has reached the playoffs just one time since returning to the NFL in 1999.

Seasons 12
W-L 64-128
Win pct .333
Playoff app 1*
10-loss seasons 9
Head coaches 5
*Under Butch Davis in 2002

Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel and Mangini each failed in trying to build a consistent winner in Cleveland's expansion era. Now, it's Shurmur's turn. The 45-year-old, whose uncle, Fritz, worked under Holmgren in Green Bay, will take over a team that has made just one playoff appearance in 13 years.

Mangini was fired after his second 5-11 season.

The Browns will introduce Shurmur as their 13th coach Friday in a news conference at their Berea, Ohio, headquarters.

Although he promised a "wide" coaching search, Holmgren is only known to have met with Shurmur, Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. Interviews with potential candidates Jon Gruden and John Fox never got past an exploratory phone call.

Shurmur emerged as the front-runner in recent days and no one caught him.

He has deep connections with Cleveland's front office. He spent eight years working with Browns general manager Tom Heckert. Shurmur never worked directly with Holmgren, but he learned the West Coast offense under Andy Reid, one of Holmgren's closest friends.

"I have the utmost respect for Coach Holmgren and Tom Heckert, and I am impressed with the direction in which they have this franchise going," Shurmur said. "I have known Tom for most of my pro coaching career, and while we were in Philadelphia, he and I developed an outstanding relationship.

"I am looking forward to this challenge and can't wait to get started in helping to build the Browns back to one of the elite teams in the NFL."

Shurmur's agent, Bob LaMonte, who also represents Holmgren and Heckert, arrived Thursday to finalize a contract and the sides only needed a few hours to work out details.

When Holmgren began his first coaching search as an NFL executive, he promised head coaching experience would not be a requirement for Mangini's successor. He kept his word.

"Pat is a bright, young man who grew up in football and around the coaching profession," Holmgren said. "I came away from our interview very impressed with him as a person, his extensive knowledge of the game and his track record of success as an assistant coach in this league.

"Most importantly, I feel as though he possesses the necessary qualities which make him the right man to lead our football team."

Shurmur's hiring won't trigger any wild celebration or a rush to the box office by Browns fans, who have to trust Holmgren's keen eye for coaching talent. Holmgren, after all, was the one who hired an up-and-coming Gruden and Reid.

Shurmur has a knack for developing young quarterbacks, and the Browns have a promising one in Colt McCoy.

This season, Shurmur helped Rams rookie QB Sam Bradford live up to being the No. 1 overall draft pick. Bradford set rookie records for completions and attempts. He also led St. Louis to a 7-9 record -- they were 1-15 a year earlier -- while throwing for 3,512 yards.

Before joining the Rams, Shurmur spent 10 seasons in Philadelphia, eight of them working with Heckert. Shurmur coached the club's tight ends and then their quarterbacks, turning a raw Donovan McNabb into one of the game's best all-around quarterbacks.

One of Holmgren's goals was to find a coach who could help groom McCoy, who showed great promise after being thrown into the starter's role last season.

It's official.

 

[kam.]

Welcome to Cleveland, come look at both of our buildings.

 

[elcheato]

This is a huge failure. Shurmur is horrible.

The Rams had the worst WR core in the NFL, with a rookie QB.. Not much you can do there.

Anyway, I don't really have an opinion on it because I don't know much about him other then he worked with McNabb in Philly for years, and helped Bradford have a successful rookie campaign. I just gotta trust Holmgren because he's the best football mind this franchise has had since Paul Brown.

 

[kam.]

The Rams had the worst WR core in the NFL, with a rookie QB.. Not much you can do there.

Anyway, I don't really have an opinion on it because I don't know much about him other then he worked with McNabb in Philly for years, and helped Bradford have a successful rookie campaign. I just gotta trust Holmgren because he's the best football mind this franchise has had since Paul Brown.

He didn't work out there, but Bill Bilichick says HI.

 

[elcheato]

He wasn't a great football mind at the time. First job, got the ropes, then they moved the team to Baltimore..

 

[A.E]

...there's something about Shurmur that Holmgren likes. I don't see it but maybe that's just me. I personally think that Shurmur is only 1 more coach standing in the way of Mike just saying, "..fuck it, if you want it done right, you just gotta do it yourself".

 

[kam.]

I personally think the Browns could of went at somebody better.

 

[elcheato]

Don't see what's wrong with it.. Every single coach in the playoffs currently other then Pete Carroll and Belichick (Both who were failures in their first jobs) were hired as coordinators.

 

[kam.]

Don't see what's wrong with it.. Every single coach in the playoffs currently other then Pete Carroll and Belichick (Both who were failures in their first jobs) were hired as coordinators.

Its not even that he was a coordinator, I think if I was a GM/CEO/Owner, and I needed to hire a coach.. I'd probably start fresh with a young coordinator. However, I fear it'll get to the point where the Browns won't be good until Holmgren steps in.

 

[elcheato]

Looks like Dick Jauron or Dave Wannstedt could be Shurmur's DC.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

Cowboys defense is going to be good now hiring Rob Ryan, he's a good defensive coordinator.