The Cleveland Browns search for a new leader of football has taken a surprising — and potentially exciting — turn.
Mike Holmgren spent Monday afternoon and evening in Cleveland meeting with the Browns.
He will spend Tuesday in Berea as well.
Holmgren is discussing joining the Browns as the team's football leader, the "czar" of football, for lack of a better word.
It's a job he has not held in his career, but he brings strong credentials.
As a coach, Holmgren won one Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers and took the Seattle Seahawks to another.
In Seattle, he initially held the job as coach and General Manager, but the team asked him to give up the GM duties.
Holmgren would guide the ship in Cleveland, where he would do one job and not two.
His input and thinking would be the guiding force in the hiring of a GM, and in the future of coach Eric Mangini.
Holmgren is almost universally respected in the league, and is obviously interested in returning to the league after taking a year off.
He retired as a coach following the 2009 season in Seattle.
It's not known if Holmgren would accept a job immediately; he's a thoughtful guy who probably would want to think things through. But team owner Randy Lerner is working hard to convince Holmgren the Browns would be right for him.
As for Mangini's future, many rumors and reports have trickled out of Berea that the win over Pittsburgh guarantees that Mangini will be back in 2010.
What the win did was make the Browns 2-11, and Randy Lerner has to be aware of that reality.
Lerner, though, will not force his will on the new football leader. The team's owner will have input into the coach, but he will not force a decision on someone he hires to run his football operations.
The Browns need to forget Holmgren or any of those West Coast dinosaurs. I listened to the Jets game on the radio Sunday and a couple comments by the broadcasters struck me–the Jets lead the league in pass defense and are among NFL leaders in overall defense, they lead the league in rushing and they've got four first round picks on an OL that is arguably the best in the NFL. The Jets aren't there quite yet but that is the way to build a longterm contender in a cold climate.
Can we all stop using the "czar" term, please. I notice it's become Mangini's favorite word, because he doesn't want to admit there will be a true GENERAL MANAGER who will be HIS BOSS and tell the fat man WHAT HE CAN AND CANNOT DO. Dream on, dude.
The first order of business for the new man in charge should be to hand the Ball Boy his walking papers, unless he wants to resume his old job: stand under the goal post and catch field goal attempts. That's about all he's qualified to do. A "leader of men?" Puh-leeze.
Pat,
Hayek has my vote.
I don't care who the GM/VP of football ops is, I just want the Browns to win.
He was terrible as a talent evaluator in Seattle. Just terrible. He's a good coach, however, but nothing from his background indicates that he knows how to draft the correct players, sign free agents, etc.
to larry d:
and who do you think built that core for the Jets?
Eric Mangini
bill, you are talking out of your rear. take a look at the roster of the seattle team that went to the super bowl. you'll find that many of those players were brought there by holmgren while he was still g.m.
and deb, there's a voice coming from your backside too. mangini was NOT the g.m. of the jets.
I officially nominate Salma Hayek as General Manager/Vice-Presidente (a nod to her heritage) of my house. Salma, feel free to move in to your new "office" at any time.
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What the Browns win did was make them 2-11 . Did it make Holmgren interested ? Where was he before the win over the Steelers win in front of a national audience ? Well this tells me what Kosar is up to , involved in. What ties does Weis have with Holmgren ? Maybe Kosar is the new CZAR , and Holmgren will be our new coach with Weis running the offense. Anybody like that spin ?
I know its early and Mangini is still here , who would be the new coach ? Saints Off. coordinator Pete Carmichael , Vikings Def Cord. Leslie Frazier , Cardinals Asst. head coach Running game cord., Off. line Russ Grimm. Coaching brothers – Jim Harbaugh of Stanford or our own Rob Ryan. Longshot Marc Trestman CFL Montreal Alouettes ? Weis ?
I know its early NFL Draft Look for OT Russell Okung Oklahoma St. 6'5 300 lbs. and OG Jon Asamoah Illinois 6'5 315 lbs. Get that O-line stong.
Let me know when Bill Cowher comes to town for CZAR job.
When Mangini is fired at the conclusion of the season. His replacement better be an offensive minded coach. The last three coaches that the Browns have had were originally defensive coordinators. A fresh perspective would hopefully re-invigorate the team and fanbase.
Holmgren gets a yawn from me. He faltered when he tried to do both jobs. So they brought someone in to be GM. He didn't excell either way. Sure he took his team to the super bowl, which is a place where the Browns have never been BUT look at the sorry quarterback he was in love with there. His teams were average at best. The prospect of this guy does not excite me. He's here trying to drive up his value in Seattle hopefully. The city loved him. Better to stay where you are loved.
Maybe if we get Salma Hayek to fly in to Berea today, that will entice Holmgren to stay.
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Do we really need Theodore Roosevelt here in Cleveland ? Opps I mean Holmgren . Anyhow what other options are there ? I would like somebody who would reconize the fans , communicate with us.
john, holmgren isn't going to "do both jobs" in cleveland. he's would do ONE job. if jeramy stevens catches a few balls and the steelers get a little less help from the refs holmgren wins that game as coach with a lot of players he got as g.m.
btw, how many sorry qb's have been in cleveland during hasslebeck's run in seattle? sorry bud, average at best teams rarely have the success that holmgren had with the seahawks.
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deb, Mangini had as much input in the Jets' drafts as my dogs have into what brand of chow they're going to eat today. Give it a rest. He was just a head coach there, there wasn't any Lerner tripping over himself to hand the guy the keys to the kingdom.
I can't figure out how much input Mangini had on the Jets' drafts. Yes, they had a GM — but I've read a lot blaming Mangini for Gholston … while also reading of Mangini's excitement and claims for how good the guy was going to be when they drafted Darrelle Revis, a cornerback. If he was all happy about getting this guy, doesn't it sort of imply that pick was his choice, at least?
And, no, I'm not changing my opinion that the Browns don't need Mangini drafting because I still think he's always going to pass over any player with an ego to take a team player (instead of a star). Nothing wrong with having a majority of quality human beings on the roster, but as a fan I'd rather have a Lawrence Taylor, for instance.
Mangini had all the input on the bad Jets picks, none of the input on the Jets good picks, Keith. Haven't you been paying attention?
Why doesn't ANYONE ever talk about the offensive coordinator??? He is the WORST offensive coordinator we have EVER had which says a lot considering we had Maurice Carthon (who was a complete joke) but nothing like the a-clown that Brian Daboll is. I would LOVE to give Brian D. a piece of my mind, he is the laughing stock of the NFL as far as I and most people I know are concerned. The best thing that can be done by anyone new that comes in is to send him packing with a one-way ticket to coach high school football (if he can even handle that job).
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you peeps are all drinking the spiked kool aid. Mangenius has been here (1) seaSON. we beat PITTSBURGH. EQUIVALENT TO OSU BEATING MICHHIGAAN.BRADY IS showing strides of getting better, although he has almost no one to throw to. running game has been a joke until chris and chris. db's are horrendous and now it looks like we may have found a te.(MOORE). ALSO LOOK AT THE ROSTER AND SEE HOw MANY ROOKIES ARE STARTING. give MANGENIUS a chance. I personally think he will prove to be a good coach over time. next year BROWNS WILL GO 8and 8. also look at injured players there are some major players hurt and out for rest o season. go (man)go.
edwards is a bust with ny. watch him in the cold weather(edwardstonehands)
k2 has done nothing for( tamponbaybutinrears)
are running back(auntjameyemalewis)is a cry baby,plus he is as old as dirt.
browns draft(1) pass rusher
2== shut down db
3== tall burner wide out
4=== posession receiver(DECKER) FROM MINESOTA.
m