Tag Archives: Browns

Phil Dawson Leaves Browns, Signs Deal with 49ERS

phil dawson signs with 49ers

The last remaining player from the Cleveland Browns reincarnation back in 1999 is no longer with the team. Phil Dawson after not receiving a contract offer from Browns, announced on his twitter page he reached an agreement to play for the San Francisco 49ERS.

Dawson spent 14 years in Cleveland and will finish second to Lou ‘The Toe” Grozas’ in total scoring, but ranks above Browns greats, Jim Brown, Leroy Kelly and Dante Lavelli to name a few.

With the 49ers, Dawson will replace David Akers who struggled with kicks over 50 yards, an area Dawson has been exceptional in kicks 40 yards or more making 14 of 15 tries from 50-plus yards and13 of 14 attempts from 40 to 49 over the course of the last two seasons.

The 49ERS who are coming off losing Super Bowl XLVII have now sured up to positions in this short off season where they lacked depth. Earlier in the month they acquired Anquan Boldin and with the pick up of Dawson adds stability to those two positions.

Dawson tweeted his signing to the 49ERS and thanked the fans of Cleveland, below are his tweets.

  1. I am humbled & thrilled to have the opportunity to continue my career with my new team, the SF 49ers!

  2. Playing for you has been one of the great joys of my life, and I wish you all the best.

  3. Hey, Cleveland. Thank you for a tremendous ride. Your love, support & encouragement have blessed me deeply.

H/T ESPN Cleveland

Browns Hire Michael Lombardi Hired as VP of Player Personnel

michael lombardi

Lombardi was most recently working for the NFL Network as an analyst, he hasn’t worked for an NFL team since 2007 when he worked for the Oakland Raiders.

The Browns top brass now consist of Joe Banner, Lombardi and Rob Cudzinski. Joe Banner in the introductory press conference described that all decisions on personnel will a collective effort and that if they don’t all agree, then the move won’t be made.

From the way the Browns are putting together their current regime, it seems as if Joe Banner is aligning things up so that he has more power than he did in his time with the Philadelphia Eagles. Banner is known as the cap, the guy that could figure out a way to construct a contract under the salary cap. Joe Banner left the eagles after saying his work was done.

However, him and Jeffery Lurie were long time friends, it wouldn’t make sense for you just to leave a organization you helped guide to 5 NFC championships and a Super Bowl appearance.

Hopefully Browns fans don’t have to deal with a guy who is bent on flexing his muscles and showing that he can do the job and more about making sure the Browns are successful.

Source Cleveland.com

(Audio) Cleveland Browns Press Conference Introducing Rob Chudzinski as Head Coach

browns stacked helmet

The Cleveland Browns introduced their new head coach Rob Chudzinski to the media. Jimmy Haslam III started the press conference by explaining why the Browns chose Chudzinski and when they made the decision to make him the 17th head coach in the history of the Cleveland Browns.

 

Source WTAM

Browns Website Still Shows Mike Holmgren, Fired Coach and Gm as Apart of Organization

Browns website 1

While the Cleveland Browns fired head coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert Monday, and Mike Holmgren resigned weeks ago, on the teams website it still shows them as having jobs.

Browns website 2

Now it’s common that once you get fired you are paid the remainder of your salary, however most teams once they fire someone immediately remove anything referring to them on team websites, Facebook, etc.

Nonetheless, Browns fan shouldn’t feel bad, their not the only team to forget that they fired their coach Monday as well. The Bears still have Lovie Smith listed as their head coach as well.

Bears webstie 1

In my estimation, the only team to handle this right is the Buffalo Bills. According to their site, they don’t have a coach for any position, its all ‘to be determined’.

Bills website 1

Most successful people are great when it comes to handling the minor details. Updating the team website would be one of those things I consider a minor, but important detail. It’s a place any one in the world can go to get information on your team. Hopefully the Browns and Bears will handle the coaching hires with more attention to detail than they did with their teams website.

Browns Fire Coach Shurmur and GM Heckert

Browns helmet facing right

After finishing the 2012 NFL season 5-11 following a 4-12 finish of the 2011 season, the Browns new Owner Jimmy Haslam III and CEO Joe Banner decided that it was time to part ways with the 2 year coach. As well as relieving Tom Heckert of his general manager duties.

The Browns since Mike Holgren took over as president of the team in 2009 hiring Heckert were operating on the premise that they had 5 years to turn the Browns around. While the process was slow and there seemed to be no urgency in bringing the Browns back to prominence, there was a definite upgrade to the roster from 2009 to the end of Heckert’s tenure as gm.

However, in the NFL you’re judged by wins and losses, and while an argument could be made that Heckert should stay, when the teams record is 19-45 during your time at selecting the players, no matter what, it’s going to be hard selling your bosses on the notion that progress is being made.

Below is a statement released by the Browns on the firings  of Heckert and Shurmur.

Tom Heckert and Pat Shurmur were relieved of their duties as general manager and head coach, respectively, of the Cleveland Browns today, the team announced.

“We felt that these moves were in the best interests of the Cleveland Browns and our future,” said Browns Owner Jimmy Haslam. “I enjoyed getting to know Tom and Pat over the past several months, and want to thank them, not just for their contributions to the Browns, but also the insight they were able to provide. They are both fine men and hope they have the best of success as they move forward with their careers.”

“This decision was not an easy one because of my relationship with Tom and Pat and the fact that they are both quality people,” said Browns CEO Joe Banner. “Ultimately our objective is to put together an organization that will be the best at everything we do. On the field, our only goal is trying to win championships. I have a great deal of respect for Tom and Pat, and I want to wish them and their families nothing but the best.”

“I leave the Browns feeling very good about many of the things we accomplished here and the direction in which I believe this team is headed,” Heckert said. “Having been around this franchise growing up, I was really excited for the opportunity to come here three years ago, and I want to thank Randy Lerner and Mike Holmgren for making that possible. I also want to acknowledge many of the hard-working people in the Browns organization, especially our player personnel staff, who are outstanding at what they do and supported me immensely in my role. I wish the team nothing but the best as they move forward.”

“I am extremely proud of the players on this team, who I felt made tremendous strides and helped to make the Cleveland Browns relevant again,” Shurmur said. “I want to thank them, as well as my entire coaching staff for making the past two years enjoyable. My coaches are outstanding teachers and even better men. They helped me lead these players through a unique time of transition. This group of players will achieve success soon, and there will be a part of me that will feel very good when that happens.

“I want to thank Randy Lerner, Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert for bringing me in and having the faith in me to lead this football team. I am disappointed that we did not win more games, but I do know the Browns are on their way to becoming a consistent winner. I appreciated the time spent with Jimmy (Haslam) and Joe (Banner), and wish them all the best as they provide a new vision for the Cleveland Browns.”

H/T Cleveland Browns