Cleveland Browns: 7 Inexperienced Coaches Since 1999
By Joe Russo
Sep 25, 2014; New York, NY, USA; San Fransisco 49ers tight end coach Eric Mangini waves to the fans before the game between the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers at Metlife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/NJ Advance Media for NJ.com via USA TODAY Sports
2009-2010 Eric Mangini
Once bitten, twice shy? More like once bitten, twice stupid. Hindsight being 20/20, there still isn’t a successful Belichik disciple to make it in the NFL as a head coach. Still, Mangini had some experience as an assistant in New England and as the head coach of the New York Jets, where he made the playoffs in his first season and more famously put the word “Spygate” into every sports fans’ vocabulary after leading the charge against his former mentor in New England.
Mangini had a pair of 5-11 season despite being the only head coaching hire for the “New Browns” that has previously been a head coach. More concerning was the Sports Illustrated feature by Joe Posnanski calling Mangini the worst coaching hire in 25 years. Mangini is currently the defensive coordinator for the woeful San Francisco 49ers.
2011-2012 Pat Shurmer
Shurmer might be best remembered as the most boring head coach the Browns had ever hired. At least Mangini had personality and an attitude. Shurmer was just the proverbial wet blanket. He was known for his work with quarterbacks, having been the quarterback coach in Philly that developed Donovan McNabb and the offensive coordinator in St. Louis for Sam Bradford‘s Rookie of the Year campaign. Shurmer would go on to coach the Coly McCoy lead offense to a 9-23 record, getting himself and Tom Heckert fired in the process. Worse than that, Shurmer brought Browns fans Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden in his last draft in Cleveland. He’s now back in Philly as the Eagle’s offensive coordinator under Chip Kelly.
Next: 6. Chud & 7. Mike Pettine