Winter weather photos
SI cover features area model
Madison vs. Waynesville
Browns begin search for new coach
Cowher has told team he's not interested in wake of Crennel firing.
- COMMENT: Who should be the next Browns coach?
- ARCHDEACON: Browns will be in better shape than Bengals
- MCCLELLAND: Please, no more rookie GMs, coaches
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Cleveland's offseason has already begun with a disheartening loss. Bill Cowher is not interested in coaching the rebuilding Browns.
Following a 4-12 season that began with Cleveland pegged as one of the NFL's rising teams, the Browns fired coach Romeo Crennel on Monday, Dec. 29. The ouster came one day after General Manager Phil Savage was dismissed by owner Randy Lerner.
Crennel was one of three NFL coaches fired on Monday. After becoming the first NFL team to go 0-16, Detroit fired Rod Marinelli. And after N.Y. fell to AFC East champ Miami, the Jets fired Eric Mangini.
Cowher told Lerner he has no intention of returning to coaching in 2009.
"The explanation that he gave," Lerner said, "was that he was very focused on his kids and his life in North Carolina."
All in the family
The Browns may be shaking the Bill Parcells-Bill Belichick family tree again. (Crennel was from the Parcells-Belichick line, too).
They are talking to New England's Scott Pioli for the GM job. Pioli got his pro start in Cleveland in 1992 when Belichick hired him. And he married Parcells' daughter.
Belichick's offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, is on the owner's list of head coaching possibilities.
Lerner said he might want to talk to Mangini. Like Pioli, he got his start in Cleveland working for Belichick in the 1990s.
Even more is that Lerner said he would want to talk to Parcells himself, if his contract with Miami is voided by a sale of the team and if the Big Tuna would be interested.
Expectations, injuries
Crennel went 24-40 in four seasons with the Browns, who entered 2008 with huge expectations but collapsed amid injuries and uneven play on offense and defense.
After a 10-6 season in 2007, Crennel was
given a contract extension through the 2011 season.
Among the injuries, quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn were lost for the season.
Jets change direction
The Jets started the season 8-3 under quarterback Brett Favre, beating New England and Tennessee on the road. But in the final five games, the Jets went 1-4 as Favre threw just two touchdown passes and nine interceptions.
"I don't think it was one thing," owner Woody Johnson said at a news conference Monday. "We had to go in a different direction."
The 37-year-old Mangini went 23-26 in three seasons.
No wins, no job
"You can't go 0-16 and expect to keep your job," Marinelli said.
He won only one of his last 24 games and was 10-38 in three years.
More on chopping block?
Now two interim coaches who breathed some life into downtrodden clubs — the Rams' Jim Haslett and the Raiders' Tom Cable — await word on their fates.
Three coaches were fired during the regular season: Mike Nolan in San Francisco, Scott Linehan in St. Louis and Lane Kiffin in Oakland.
Mike Singletary replaced Nolan and will be retained after the 49ers went 5-4 in their final nine games.
Comments
By Larry Mueller
January 3, 2009 11:19 AM | Link to this
Martz would be able to make the most out of the talent with the Browns. They have young QB’s that have promise and Martz is the best in the game at developing QB’s. We all know what happened with the Rams great talent, 3 500 point seasons. He even out 7 wins out of those Lions that won 0 without him. He improved the 49ers offense after the QB was replaced. The best that team looked in about 6 or 7 years.
Martz is worth the shot. I want to relive those early 1980 seasons with Sipe, etc.
By Jim
December 31, 2008 2:40 AM | Link to this
Head Coach - 1st - Mike Shannahan -146 NFL wins 2nd - Marty Shottenheimer - Winner GM - Scott Pioli - Winning organization - New England Off Coor - Shannahan or Shottenheimers son Def Coor - Romeo Crennel - Super Bowl Ring as D Coor Players enjoy playing for him - the team needs a major upgrade at D-back and Inside and Outside linebacker D-backs should both be backups. Wright and Wimbley might continue to improve - the others will not
By YEAH Borwns
December 30, 2008 11:28 PM | Link to this
i love the browns
By YEAH Borwns
December 30, 2008 11:25 PM | Link to this
yay browns
By YEAH Borwns
December 30, 2008 11:23 PM | Link to this
yay browns
By Go Browns
December 30, 2008 11:21 PM | Link to this
go browns
By Go Browns
December 30, 2008 11:21 PM | Link to this
go browns
By Browns fan 4 life
December 30, 2008 11:12 PM | Link to this
ive been a browns fan since b4 i could walk and no matter how bad the team gets im behind them 100%. Hopefully though they will get someone who is a proven winner. oh and all u Shitsburg Squeeler fans…..ur alls time will come when u arent even fit to eat the mud off of browns players cleats!!
By SMOKE WILSON
December 30, 2008 8:54 PM | Link to this
I’ve been a Cleveland sports fan since 1948,and I’ve finally come to the realization that there will NEVER be a Championship of ANY kind in that city again. The Indians, Browns and Cavs are all run by people who just go through the motions. Take the Browns for instance….they’ve been back in Cleveland for how many years 8-10 or so, just how many years does it take to REBUILD !! Cleveland has become the LOSER capital of the world !!!!!!!
By krugdawg
December 30, 2008 8:51 PM | Link to this
shannahan head coach romeo stays as def cord
By craig
December 30, 2008 8:00 PM | Link to this
Marty Schottenheimer, please sign Marty. Best coach and talent adviser available. he wants to return home to cleveland! please sign him
By Craig Robinson
December 30, 2008 6:40 PM | Link to this
I find it absolutely amazing how classless the majority of Pittsburgh’s fans are! I know they are not all bad because one of my best friends, whom I’ve known for over 30 years, is a Steelers fan. Having said that, most of them are idiots who don’t have a clue! Their apparently not old enough to have seen (or perhaps too stupid) to look up the history of their own franchise! For the first 30 years Pittsburgh was a laughing stock while the Browns were a powerhouse in the 40’s, 50’s & 60’s.
By BrownsClown
December 30, 2008 5:54 PM | Link to this
Lets face it, Cleveland Browns fans are just plain stupid. The last time the Browns won a championship was 44 years ago, and by the way that franchise moved to Baltimore. The Cleveland Browns copy cats will never win a Super Bowl. Pro football may have been born in Ohio, but the two teams that play in Ohio now have died. GO STEELERS!
By Greg Tampa Fl.
December 30, 2008 2:21 PM | Link to this
ha ha bungles 14 clowns 0 enough said losers ha ha
By 3rdGenerationBrownsFan
December 30, 2008 1:54 PM | Link to this
MARTY, MARTY, MARTY!!!!!!! Marty Schottenheimer is a proven winner and disciplinarian that the Browns need. It would only be right for Marty to come back and win a Super bowl for the team that gave him his first head coaching opportunity. Cower isn’t the answer he had that mystique with being the coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Lets face it everywhere Marty has been he has turned the team around when ownership allowed him to do his job! Lets get the coaching situation right this time!!!
By PittsFan
December 30, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this
OK - for all of you who bashed the Steelers, shut your mouths. Cleveland should be honored that Coach Cowher even looked their way when that job arose. And he did the right thing, in my opinion by saying no to you people - he has better things to do. Go find some second rate coach that may be able to get you guys at least a few wins…that way you can at least look half as good as us Pittsburgh fans :)
By usmale
December 30, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this
It amazes me that if as a fan, you support a team that has had success, you cannot be happy with that. Either you are not really a fan of that team, you feel threatened by another team’s success, or you’re just plain ignorant. But happiness with your team winning brings you no happiness or class, you must run down an another team to make you jock strap feel full..
By Rex
December 30, 2008 10:23 AM | Link to this
I’ve been a Browns fan since my youth, about 50 years ago. Seeing several come and go, one common denominator is good players with talent mis-used or not used. Talent direction is directed by coaching.Its all about the coaching and until we get a good coach, we’ll never be the Browns of old’. Not being in the behind-door meetings, I would suspect there was a difference of opinions amoung the powers in control exempting the owner. Bad calls and no follow-through’s.
By bigmike34
December 30, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this
MARTY MARTY MARTY:
He is the whole package…Don’t get the guy from NE doen’t ever get anything from NE again…Romeo was enough…
Get Marty give him the VP and Head Coach jobs and let him put together the staff the Whole staff…He can designate a GM, He would be the HC and the VP of football operations….HE IS IDEAL AND WOULD TAKE THAT JOB AND REALLY BUILD SOMETHING FOR US. When he tired of Coaching he would no doubt appoint his Son the HC and just oversee the entire operation
By Eric
December 30, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this
BILL PARCELLS!!!! Hire Pioli as GM, and let him talk to his father-in-law. Connections, connections, connections!
By stevo
December 30, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this
Rod Marinelli would e a good choice.
By Bill
December 30, 2008 7:48 AM | Link to this
Cowher is overrated. Look how many AFC championship games he lost as well as his first Superbowl, they should have beaten Dallas. He’s a chip off the block of his mentor Marty S., hate to say it but he couldn’t win the big game either. Mangini is a copy of Crennel, great guy, great coordinator but way too soft to be a head coach. Bring in Scott Pioli and Josh McDaniels or Steve Spagnuolo.
By LondonBrown
December 30, 2008 6:02 AM | Link to this
Hope springs anew after a season of solid misfortune; Pioli & McDaniels could be VERY good, and Mangini would be interesting (the Favre collapse was hardly his fault).
But even from the other side of the Atlantic at least know I won’t be cheering any other team on next year, or any other year for that matter.
Go Browns!
By Skip Brown
December 30, 2008 3:52 AM | Link to this
Ive been a Browns fan all my life, and i watched many times in dissapointment. Other teams only wish they had the fan base cleveland has. ive read how some bandwagon fans jump ship , that’s typical.we dont want u as afan of the Browns anywyas. Modell ruined a chance for glory . we will win again and when we do hopefully it will make u all sick. The owner is doing everything he can to put a great team out there. i dont want scower. i dont watch the cbs pre game show anywyas those guys will bore u
By ERIC RELIF
December 29, 2008 8:32 PM | Link to this
THE BROWNS SHOULD GET MARTY HE WOULD BE A GREAT FIT FOR THE TEAM IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION. THEY ONLY NEED A FEW PIECE’S FOR THE TEAM TO MAKE A SUPERBOWL RUN!!
By Dogpound
December 29, 2008 4:49 PM | Link to this
It’s so funny to hear you new and old Steeler fans mouth off…. you obviously need a life if you feel obligated to pick on us Browns fans. We’ve had a tough decade but will be back. Tomlin has done not a darn thing as a coach. He inherited a great team. We’ll see how his next 4 years go. Cowher, stay in the broadcast booth, as a Browns fan, I don’t want him near my team. We’ll see how the Pittsburgh faithful handle this year’s fold, in their first playoff game. Go Browns!
By Tomas
December 29, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this
People who bailout on local teams for a “winner” are classless bums. If they don’t win, you quit. That is what is wrong with this country. For a long time there were a lot of UM fans because Cooper couldn’t beat them. Loyalty means nothing in Ohio. These same fans are no doubt Yankee and Laker fans as well. I will stay with the Browns, Reds, and OSU no matter how they fare. Go Ohio!
By Rick
December 29, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this
browns and bengals will never do anything until there is a change of upper management. i became a steeler fan 12 yrs ago from being raised on the browns…. took me 40yrs to go to a winning team…. go steelers.
By VietVet
December 29, 2008 3:33 PM | Link to this
Browns gave Crennel more than enough chances. He should have been gone years ago. Now that he’s gone, don’t bring in retreads like Marty S. He’s had his chance. Need a proven talent developer, defensive mind, and for god sake, get a new group of qb’s. Dorsey has never been an NFL qb. His playing days were over at Miami-Fla. Quinn hasn’t really had a chance as yet. Anderson needs to go. How did the Dolphins lift themselves up from the bottom. Follow Miami’s plan.They have found success.
By Rick Burkart
December 29, 2008 3:06 PM | Link to this
Does Cleveland still have a team? I thought Mikey boy Brown took Cincinnati up there to play.
Why not just combine the two teams and still have a crappy team?
By joe
December 29, 2008 2:44 PM | Link to this
If I were a Browns fan I would be cursing mad too. Sam Wyche said it best when he addressed the snowball throwing fans in Riverfront. You stay classy Cleveland.
By who dey baby
December 29, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this
hey browns fans im not only a bengalsfan im an ohio fan hope the browns get an elite coach if the bengals dont go hope the browns do good luck next year
By Brownstown
December 29, 2008 2:16 PM | Link to this
If your not a browns fan gtfo this page! I hope we go get Billick he demands 110% out of his players and he can build us a solid defense. Cowher don’t want the Browns job so he can go f**k himself along with the rest of the Pitt scum!
By Rusty
December 29, 2008 2:05 PM | Link to this
If Scott Pioli is hired away from New England as GM he will hire someone connected to the Parcells~Bellichek coaching lineage. Top 2 candidates: Eric Mangini or Josh McDaniels the current Coordinator for the Patriots. I’ve heard on radio sportstalk shows today names such as Brian Billick, Steve Mariuucci, and Mike Martz…sure hope they stay away from guys who weren’t successful in previous HC jobs in NFL!
By Steeler fan
December 29, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this
Maybe you could get Pioli then bring back Belichick… Heaven knows the Clowns organization did everything they could to destroy him once… Do the NFL a favor and try again…
By John from CT
December 29, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this
MARTY=playoffs No Elway= Superbowl
By BigJack
December 29, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this
OK, I’m no Browns fan. I love the Steelers and frankly love watching the Cleveland team get trampled at every turn. That said, Rex Ryan, Russ Grimm or Ron Rivera could be good fits for this team. The return of Marty is another thing to consider. He could give this team some of the discapline it needs, but I think he’d be a better fit for the Bengals.
By Steeler fan
December 29, 2008 1:25 PM | Link to this
Sam Rutigliano…
By John from CT
December 29, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this
The Browns have a history of winning not losing, that’s what upsets us fans. Mangini is not answer and Cowher said no. I like Marty, he’s a great coach, and there’s no Elway to stop him this time.
By S
December 29, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this
I am glad Cowher does not want to come to the Browns. As a Browns fan, I do not want him as Cleveland’s coach.
By Joe
December 29, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this
You Browns people don’t get it. You keep asking for retreads. If you had a real front office you’ll quit looking for the next big hype and build your team with excellence. The Steelers and Ravens didn’t go looking for a new hype man. They did their homework. They get coaches and players (draft) that are up and coming. They don’t throw money at retreads and hasbeens. Cowher coached for 16 years. When he was done the Steelers got another young coach. Tomlin has plenty of years left in him
By mistakebythelake
December 29, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this
Hey Browns fans……..rumor has it that John Elway was looking for a job as a head coach, maybe so he could “DRIVE” them towards a winning season perhaps……good luck!!
By mistakebythelake
December 29, 2008 12:19 PM | Link to this
Once again, you Cleveland Browns fans get what is expected………another loosing season. If Crennel was smart he would have not taken the extension and went elsewhere where he could have won a division title. Get a clue Brownie Fans!!!! Cowher is way to smart to be the Browns head coach, it would ruin his reputation and coaching record.
By Dario
December 29, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this
boohoo, you have absolutely no idea what the browns bring to ohio. gtfo
By boohoo
December 29, 2008 11:32 AM | Link to this
it doesn’t matter who the coach is the browns are always losers. they win one game the fans act like it was the superbowl win. that’s the main reason people dislike the team. browns bring disrespect to ohio.
By john
December 29, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this
Who should be the next Browns coach? The Bengals and the Browns should trade coaches; so I believe it will be Marvin Lewis.
…or after the Buckeyes lose another bowl game, Jim Tressel, which would assure the Browns of at least one win against the Michigan team (Detroit)!
By KEN
December 29, 2008 11:24 AM | Link to this
Cowher,Parcell,Jimmy Johnson,Ditka. Anybody with a proven track record.
By TOM
December 29, 2008 11:21 AM | Link to this
ROMEO( DID) GO
By M
December 29, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this
Ugly Betty………
By Jack
December 29, 2008 10:57 AM | Link to this
Cowher will not go the the Browns.
By Dawg Dan
December 29, 2008 10:51 AM | Link to this
Cowher Power BABY!!!!!