Tag: Drew Petzing

The hunt for a new QB coach gets real after Cardinals hire Jonathan Gannon

Losing their QB coach is becoming a very real possibility

The Arizona Cardinals have passed on Lou Anarumo, hiring the defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles, Jonathan Gannon, as their next head coach. This puts the Cleveland Browns back in hiring mode as the possibility of them needing a new quarterbacks coach gets very real. It was reported earlier this week that Gannon is a big fan of Cleveland’s quarterbacks coach Drew Petzing, and could look to hire him as his offensive coordinator if he were to land a head coaching gig.

That is now a reality for the Browns, who could look toward a former Deshaun Watson associate Sean Ryan. Now that every head coaching gig has been filled, it will be interesting to see how they fill out their staff.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[stnvideo key=”BuIu1n8G” type=”player”]

Browns QB coach likely OC for Jonathan Gannon, if named Cardinals’ HC

If Jonathan Gannon is the Cardinals’ next head coach, it would be no surprise if Browns QB coach Drew Petzing is his offensive coordinator.

The Arizona Cardinals are closing in on a new head coach and the decision could come on Tuesday.

One of the candidates, and perhaps the favorite to get the job, is Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.

One question that comes with any defensive-minded coach is who will be his offensive coordinator and playcaller.

Who could be that guy for Gannon?

Per PHNX’s Howard Balzer and also speculated by SI.com’s Albert Breer, it could be Cleveland Browns quarterbacks coach Drew Petzing.

Gannon and Petzing worked together on the Minnesota Vikings’ staff from 2014-2017. Petzing was an offensive assistant and assistant wide receivers coach then, while Gannon was an assistant defensive backs coach.

Petzing has coached in the NFL since 2013. He was an outside linebackers coach for the Cleveland Browns in 2013.

He was with the Vikings from 2014-2019 in the aforementioned positions and then as an assistant quarterbacks coach and then wide receivers coach.

Since 2020, he has been with the Browns, first as a tight ends coach in 2020 and 2021 and then quarterbacks coach last season.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

Who could be QB coach target if Browns lose Drew Petzing?

Could there be a reunion coming in Cleveland?

Reports are out that if Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon gets the head job in Arizona, quarterback coach Drew Petzing could be his top choice for an offensive coordinator. If that happens it will leave the Cleveland Browns looking for a new quarterback coach and they could turn to a coach who has worked with Deshaun Watson before. Veteran coach Sean Ryan was Watson’s coach in Houston in 2017 and 2018 and might be a target for the Browns.

During Watson’s rookie year with Ryan, he only appeared in seven games before tearing his ACL. However, in 2018 Ryan helped guide Watson to an impressive season where he completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 4,165 yards and 26 touchdowns with only nine interceptions.

Sean Ryan is a well-respected coach in the NFL where his career started over a decade ago with the Giants in 2007. Ryan spent the last two seasons as the quarterbacks coach in Carolina and likely will be available with the coaching change.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

[stnvideo key=”BuIu1n8G” type=”player”]

Browns could lose another coach if Cardinals hire Jonathan Gannon

WIll the Browns have a new QB coach in 2023?

The Arizona Cardinals seem to be honing in on a potential Super Bowl champion coach for their next head coach. Rumors suggest they are closing in on Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon to replace the fired Kliff Kingsbury. This hire could affect the Cleveland Browns as Albert Breer has suggested that quarterback coach Drew Petzing might be the lead candidate for offensive coordinator on Gannon’s potential staff.

This is yet another report of an assistant coach that could be on the move trying to get a promotion with another team. Earlier this week the Browns lost defensive pass game coordinator Jeff Howard when he took the linebackers coaching job with the Chargers. As staffs begin to change with the season wrapping up it will be interesting to see how the Browns staff changes overall.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

[stnvideo key=”BuIu1n8G” type=”player”]

Will QB coach Drew Petzing draw offensive coordinator interviews this offseason?

Chad O’Shea and Bill Callahan may not be the only coaches on Kevin Stefanski’s staff to draw interviews for offensive coordinator openings.

Drew Petzing has been quick to climb the latter through the NFL ranks, and he may continue to climb this offseason. Joining both Bill Callahan, who declined to interview with the New York Jets and instead signed an extension with the Cleveland Browns, and Chad O’Shea, Petzing could be the next staffer under head coach Kevin Stefanski to get an interview request for vacant offensive coordinator gigs.

Starting his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Harvard, then moving to Boston College and Yale, Petzing joined the Browns in 2013 as a football operations intern. After one season in Cleveland, he then went on to coach six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Since returning to Cleveland with Kevin Stefanski, Petzing has been promoted from tight ends coach to quarterbacks coach. And now the 35-year-old may depart this offseason for a new role as an offensive coordinator elsewhere according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland dot com.

Even a year ago, Petzing interviewed with Josh McDaniels and the Las Vegas Raiders to be their offensive coordinator, which ultimately led to his promotion in Cleveland. With five teams still looking for a head coach, there are still plenty of opportunities for Petzing to land interviews and even a promotion around the league.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw33aqtym0ft0g player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

[listicle id=83634]

Browns coaching staff: Multiple coaches moved around, new QB coach

Mostly continuity, rare in recent Browns history, on the coaching staff but replacing AVP with a full-time QB coach may be the biggest news of the Browns coaching moves:

The Cleveland Browns seem to be set for mostly stability on their coaching staff for the second offseason in a row. If Kevin Stefanski makes it through the 2022 season, he will be the first head coach since Romeo Crennel (2005-2008) to have done so.

Hue Jackson (2016-2018) is the last head coach to start his third season in that position for the Browns.

Neither of those coaches made it through three seasons with the same coordinators/systems in place on both sides of the ball. Crennel had offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon resign and Jackson was forced to bring in Todd Haley as his coordinator.

Stefanski has been able to keep the bulk of his staff around since his hiring in 2020. This week, the team announced that they had moved a few coaches around into new positions or promoted them:

  • Stephen Bravo-Brown – Moved from defensive quality control to assistant special teams coach
  • Drew Petzing moved from tight ends coach to quarterbacks coach instead of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt holding both titles
  • T.C. McCartney moved from offensive assistant to tight ends coach
  • Bill Willis, a former Ashton Grant fellow, is now offensive quality control
  • Callie Brownson keeps her Chief of Staff role but is also now assistant wide receivers coach
  • Jordan Thomas hired as assistant defensive line coach
  • Jeff Anderson brought back to the organization as defensive quality control coach
  • Chris Kiffin officially announced as staying with the organization

Continued stability within the majority of the coaching staff while rearranging people into positions that may be a better fit. Adding a QB coach could be vital for Baker Mayfield’s return from injury and may be the biggest news of all.

Report: Raiders request to interview Browns Drew Petzing for OC position

According to a report, the Raiders may be interested in giving Petzing a big step up from his experience as a WR and TE coach so far in the NFL:

Earlier this week there were reports that Cleveland Browns wide receiver coach and passing game coordinator Chad O’Shea was being considered for the New York Giants offensive coordinator position. That job ended up going to Mike Kafka instead.

That doesn’t mean the Browns are out of the woods in losing some of their coaches elsewhere. The Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans have not hired their head coaches yet and there are a lot of spots open on other teams with new guys at the top.

Former Browns coach Kevin O’Connell is now the top guy in Minnesota joining former Browns executive Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the Vikings new general manager. He needs to fill out his entire staff and their connection to Cleveland could draw them toward Browns coaches.

Josh McDaniels, who was one of the finalists for the Cleveland head coaching position last year, took the Las Vegas Raiders head coaching job this offseason. McDaniels reportedly has his eyes on a Browns assistant:

Petzing does not have a direct connection to McDaniels having only worked in Minnesota and Cleveland organizations as an NFL coach. He has only worked as a position coach, wide receivers with the Vikings and tight ends with the Browns.

It is possible that McDaniels could be interviewing Petzing with the hopes of pulling him from Cleveland for a different position but the Browns could block a lateral move.

Kevin Stefanski returns to in-person coaching with the Browns

Stefanski is back but 3 assistants remain out with COVID-19

Kevin Stefanski is back at the helm of the Cleveland Browns. The head coach returned to team headquarters in Berea on Thursday after missing over a week after testing positive for COVID-19.

For Stefanski, getting back to his team couldn’t come soon enough. He had been sequestered in isolation in his basement after testing positive on January 5th.

“Those walls were closing in on me,” Stefanski said on his Zoom with reporters. “So I’m enjoying this big building.”

He was welcomed back by players and coaches. One player, backup QB Case Keenum, made sure the coach knew he was appreciated.

“Case Keenum told me he hid something in my office, and he asked if I smelled it yet,” Stefanski noted. “But I don’t because I lost my sense of smell.”

Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer filled in as acting head coach for Stefanski. He was glad to hand the duties back to the head coach.

“Anytime your leader comes back to the building and is going to lead us into battle this weekend, I think it’s a great thing for our football team,” Priefer said.

Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who took over play-calling duties in the wild-card win over Pittsburgh, expressed a similar sentiment.

“It’s huge,” Van Pelt said. “He’s such a presence around the guys. He was greatly missed while he wasn’t here, so having him back is big for us.”

While Stefanski did return, three of his assistants remain away from the team as they deal with their own positive COVID-19 diagnoses. Pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach Jeff Howard, tight ends coach Drew Petzing, and assistant offensive line coach Scott Peters are all still out.

[lawrence-related id=57769]

 

Updated Browns COVID-19 status for the divisional round

There are still players and coaches who could return for Sunday’s game

The Browns are preparing to face the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC divisional round on Sunday. More players and coaches who have been sidelined with the team’s COVID-19 outbreak continue to become available by the day.

On Wednesday, the Browns activated Denzel Ward and Kevin Johnson from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Both cornerbacks missed the last two weeks after testing positive for the coronavirus.

There are still some players and coaches whose statuses remain up in the air.

Players still on the reserve/COVID-19 list

Left guard Joel Bitonio

Wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge

Both Bitonio and Hodge have the potential to be activated before Sunday’s game, but it is not certain that will happen. They were placed on the reserve list on Jan. 5th, which means the earliest they can be activated from their positive tests is Friday, Jan. 15th.

Coaches still sidelined

Head coach Kevin Stefanski

Passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Jeff Howard

Assistant offensive line coach Scott Peters

Tight ends coach Drew Petzing

All the coaches could return as early as Thursday, based on the timeline of the positive testing. They will each need to clear the COVID-19 protocols established by the NFL and NFLPA, which do carry over to the coaching staff as well.

Offensive line coach Bill Callahan has cleared the protocols and is back with the team.

[listicle id=57713]

Joel Bitonio and KhaDarel Hodge test positive for COVID-19, will miss wild-card game

Coaches Drew Petzing and Jeff Howard also tested positive

The bad news just keeps flowing for the Cleveland Browns. Per reports from NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and quickly echoed by several others, Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio and wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Sunday’s wild-card game in Pittsburgh against the Steelers.

Because both players tested positive, they must remain away from the team for at least 10 days.

Bitonio is the longest-tenured Browns player and was due to make his postseason debut. He’s also an invaluable member of the top-rated offensive line.

Hodge primarily serves as the team’s No. 4 wideout but also plays a significant role on special teams.

In addition to the players, tight ends coach Drew Petzing and defensive backs coach Jeff Howard have also tested positive and will miss the game, along with head coach Kevin Stefanski.