Pat Shurmur hired as Cleveland Browns head coach
Pat Shurmur was able to turn Sam Bradford, a rookie quarterback, into one of the fastest rising stars in the National Football League (NFL). His next project however, won’t be so easy.
The Cleveland Browns will require a lot more effort.
An offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams, Shurmur was hired by the team Thursday evening. This concludes their search for their fifth coach in 11 years, after team president Mike Holmgren dismissed Eric Mangini following
his second straight season with 11 losses.
Shurmur isn’t one of the big names floating around the league these days - such as Brad Childress, Jim Harbaugh, and Wade Phillips - and his hiring won’t result in an onslaught of requests for season tickets. However, for Holmgren,
Shurmur equals success.
Shurmur’s late uncle was Holmgren’s defensive coordinator when they were with the Green Bay Packers and won the Super Bowl in 1996. In hiring the candidate with no head coach experience, Holmgren wants Shurmur to get to the
top much like he did himself.
Before he got the head coaching job with the Packers, he had been their offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, just like Shurmur. Holmgren may have seen a younger version of himself when interviewing Shurmur.
Holmgren explained that he was quite impressed by Shurmur. He said, "Pat is a bright, young man who grew up in football and around the coaching profession. 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.”
He added, "Most importantly, I feel as though he possesses the necessary qualities which make him the right man to lead our football team."
The Browns have had horrible seasons for a long time now. In a league where teams turning around are as common as tackles, there is one exception. The Browns have had nine seasons with at least ten losses, and have made it to
the AFC playoffs only once. Coaches Chris palmer, Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel and Mangini were not able bring any consistency to the team.
Now, Shurmur will take a shot.
A news conference is scheduled for Friday, in which the team will introduce Shurmur as their 13th head coach at their headquarters in Berea, Ohio. Shurmur’s success with Bradford is one of the reasons why the
Browns wanted him. He was able to turn last year’s number one draft pick into an incredible rookie with 3,512 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. The Browns are hoping that Shurmur will be able to do the same thing with Colt McCoy, who was forced into the starting
position because of injuries, but showed promise and poise.
Rams running-back Steven Jackson was pleased with the appointment. He said, "I knew it would not be long before coach Shurmur got a head coaching job in this league. He was a good coordinator for the Rams and on Sundays, he
got the most out of his players and always had us in a position to win the game."
Shurmur led Jackson to his second season with at least 1000 rushing yards. Before joining the Rams, Shurmur had been with the Philadelphia Eagles for ten years, first coaching tight ends
and then quarterbacks. He was the one who turned Donovan McNabb into one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks.
Shurmur expressed his excitement over the new role. He said, "I have the utmost respect for Coach Holmgren and [General Manager] Tom Heckert, and I am impressed with the direction in which they have this franchise going. I have
known Tom for most of my pro coaching career, and while we were in Philadelphia, he and I developed an outstanding relationship.”
The Browns new head coach added, "I am looking forward to this challenge and can't wait to get started in helping build the Browns back to one of the elite teams in the NFL."
Shurmur’s contract and financial terms were not made public yet, but it is most likely a four-year deal.
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