Browns talk with Kyle Shannahan about offensive coordinator
Published 9:00 pm Thursday, January 30, 2014
CLEVELAND (AP) — Former Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will get a chance to convince the Browns he should call their plays.
Shanahan, fired following a rocky fourth season with Washington, will interview Wednesday to be Cleveland’s offensive coordinator. He’s to meet with coach Mike Pettine, who has been assembling his staff since his hiring last week.
The 34-year-old Shanahan and father Mike Shanahan, the Redskins’ former head coach, were let go by Washington on Dec. 30 after going 3-13. Shanahan has interviewed for at least two other coordinator positions this month, but was passed over by Baltimore and Miami.
Also, the Browns intend to interview Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo on Thursday.
Shanahan spent four seasons with Washington after two as Houston’s offensive coordinator. He and his father’s relationship with Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III reportedly deteriorated during this past season, and at least partly contributed to the team’s decision to move in another direction.
Shanahan’s offenses finished in the top 10 in the NFL in yards four times.
DeFilippo spent two seasons in Oakland — his second stint with the team — after working for the New York Jets. He was an assistant quarterback coach on the same staff as Pettine, who spent four seasons as Rex Ryan’s defensive coordinator before going to Buffalo last season.
A native of Youngstown, Ohio, DeFilippo also coached at San Jose State.
Pettine hired former Buffalo linebackers coach Jim O’Neil as his defensive coordinator on Monday and named seven other assistants to his staff.
An experienced offensive coordinator is crucial to Cleveland’s turnaround. The Browns, who had four offensive players in the Pro Bowl, are expected to select a quarterback early in May’s draft and the new coordinator will have a hand in his development.
The Browns were interested in former Houston coach Gary Kubiak, but he was hired as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator on Monday.