NFL News: Pat Shurmur could land in Minnesota
December 30, 2012
Browns-Steelers Week 17 Open Thread
December 30, 2012
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ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that the Cleveland Browns have Penn State’s Bill O’Brien on their short list of potential head coaching replacements following the impending firing of Pat Shurmur.
O’Brien, who bypasses an NFL interview last January, may not necessarily jump at any NFL opportunity but if he did leave Penn State it would “qualify as a surprise” after the former Patriots offensive coordinator was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year in his first season as the Nittany Lions coach in 2012. He reportedly has a $9 million buyout attached to his contract with Penn State.
The Browns are also said to be eying Oregon’s Chip Kelly, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
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8 Comments
I can see O’Brien but not Kelly. This team isn’t really built for Kelly.
They’d definitely need a different QB for Kelly. No way someone as immobile as Weeden can stick around under his tutelage.
Kelly in Carolina is more logical. I like Kelly’s philosophy, though. Whomever they get is likely to be a big name.
I’d be happy just as long as that big name isn’t Josh McDaniels
Hopefully they don’t pull a Holmgren and hire another Shurmur. Good Riddance. Browns need a competent HC and more wrinkles in the offense to greatly lessen the predictability. Keep the 4-3 defense as we are built for it.
I actually think Weeden and Kelly are a somewhat logical duo. Weeden has run a really fast-paced spread offense at Oklahoma St. It’s not Oregon, but a similarly fast-paced style would be in Weeden’s wheelhouse. I think Kelly knows he’s not going to have an Oregon-style QB in the NFL at this stage, but he could at least work with Weeden and friends.
How could O’Brien make a big deal out of all the Penn State players who stayed rather than taking a better opportunity and then bolt himself for a better opportunity?
Leaving Penn State would take some huge stones and minuscule ethics.
Is Dennis Dixon still available?