Tag: Mike Priefer

REPORT: Browns are hiring Bubba Ventrone as next special teams coordinator

The Browns wasted no time at all.

It has been the rumored move since the Cleveland Browns fired their special teams coordinator Mike Priefer, but now it is becoming official as Bubba Ventrone is leaving the Indianapolis Colts to come back to the team where he spent four years of his playing career after a great interview. The Browns took no time at all, landing their next special teams coordinator just one day later.

Ventrone has been the special teams coordinator in Indianapolis since 2018 and is widely revered for his energy and attention to detail. He even interviewed for the head coaching job in Indianapolis this offseason as well. First Jim Schwartz, now Ventrone. The Browns are knocking their coaching hires out of the park this offseason.

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What coaching staff positions are currently vacant in Cleveland?

The Browns have a handful of coaching vacancies, and that is a good thing.

The Cleveland Browns have had an underwhelming two seasons since making the playoffs in 2020. And the rubber has finally met the road with their coaching staff as they look to get back into postseason contention in 2023. They fired defensive coordinator Joe Woods right at the end of the season, replacing him with Jim Schwartz. They have since fired special teams coordinator Mike Priefer as well.

They have had a few more openings on their coaching staff come open as well this offseason, and we take a look here at exactly how many coaching slots they have left to fill as the NFL Scouting Combine and free agency approach.

HC Kevin Stefanski releases statement on the firing of Mike Priefer

Kevin Stefanski has released a statement on the firing of Mike Priefer

As the Cleveland Browns move on from special teams coordinator Mike Priefer and look for his replacement, head coach Kevin Stefanski has released a statement:

“I appreciate everything Prief has done for this team in his three seasons as my special teams coordinator, but I have decided to move in another direction in the best interest of our organization. I know this city will forever be grateful for the job he did as acting head coach in our AFC Wildcard win and for all his contributions while leading the Browns special team’s units for the last four seasons. We wish Prief the best with his next opportunity.”

The Browns are looking to strike fast, so keep your eyes peeled for more information.

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Could the Browns reunite with a former player to replace Mike Priefer?

Could the Browns turn to a former safety as their new special teams coordinator?

The Cleveland Browns now have another vacancy on their coaching staff as they look to hire a new special teams coordinator. After parting ways with Mike Priefer after three seasons, the Browns now turn in a different direction. Given how late in the offseason this firing was, there is reason to believe the Browns were waiting out teams that hired new head coaches to see if they would retain their current special teams coordinators. One of those teams was the Indianapolis Colts, who hired former Browns staffer Shane Steichen. The special teams coordinator in Indianapolis? Former Browns safety Bubba Ventrone.

Could the Browns turn back to a former player who has been a rising star as a special teams coordinator with the Colts? He even interviewed for their head coaching gig this offseason. This would be a slam dunk hire for the Browns, and they could even name him associate head coach as well.

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Browns expected to fill ST coordinator role and replace Mike Priefer quickly

We may not have to wait long for more news.

We may not have to wait long to hear further news on the newly vacant special teams coordinator role as the Cleveland Browns are expected to replace Mike Priefer quickly. After parting ways with their special teams coordinator of three years, the Browns are now moving in a new direction with that unit as well.

Former Browns’ safety Bubba Ventrone was the special teams coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts but has not officially been retained by their new coaching staff. Could the Browns reunite with Ventrone and make a significant upgrade to their coaching staff? Regardless, keep your ears peeled as the news may drop soon.

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Report: Browns part ways with ST coordinator Mike Priefer

The Browns have parted ways with their special teams coordinator.

The Cleveland Browns have started their Tuesday morning out with a bang as they have reportedly parted ways with their special teams coordinator Mike Priefer. After coordinating an underperforming unit for three years in Cleveland, Priefer is now off to look for a new job as the Browns have replaced both coordinators this offseason. After replacing defensive coordinator Joe Woods with Jim Schwartz, the Browns now look to go back on the hunt for a special teams coordinator as well.

This is not the only coaching vacancy in Cleveland either, as the Browns look to find a new defensive backs coach, defensive line coach, someone to take over as passing game coordinator defensively (it was the defensive backs coach previously), and a new quarterbacks coach after Drew Petzing was hired away by the Arizona Cardinals.

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ST coordinator Mike Priefer, DB coach Jeff Howard told their jobs are safe

There may not be as much turnover to the staff as believed.

The Cleveland Browns may have just hired their defensive coordinator in Jim Schwartz, but that may be one of the few moves as a couple of other staff members have been told their job is safe. According to Cleveland dot com’s Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns have informed special teams coordinator Mike Priefer and defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Jeff Howard they are not getting fired. Cabot also added that “a number of the defensive guys will remain on the staff.”

During his introductory press conference, Schwartz stated that his staff was not his staff, but Stefanski’s staff to hire up. For now, it appears that the majority of the staff may be back outside of Joe Woods.

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Mike Priefer is not safe, Kevin Stefanski ‘working through’ his job status

The non-answer may have contained an answer.

After an initial report that the job status of Joe Woods would be the only one in question, head coach Kevin Stefanski has stated the Cleveland Browns are ‘working through’ the job status of special teams coordinator Mike Priefer as well.

While the special teams units of the Browns improved over the back half of the season, there is little to be confident in the way they covered punts, and kicks, or in the confidence of their highly-drafted rookie kicker Cade York. The knock on Stefanski was that he was too scared to fire his friends. Those notions are being challenged as the Browns look for a new defensive coordinator, and perhaps a new special teams coordinator as well.

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Report: Browns not expected to make further coaching moves beyond Joe Woods

Joe Woods is expected to be the only head to roll in Cleveland.

The Cleveland Browns wasted no time firing defensive coordinator Joe Woods after they returned from their abysmal loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. And now we already have two names who have been floated as his replacement in Brian Flores and Jerod Mayo. Woods, however, is expected to be the only head to roll in Cleveland as head coach Kevin Stefanski and special teams coordinator Mike Priefer are expected to reprise their roles in 2023.

This, however, is not to say that all of the positions coaches on the defensive side of the ball are safe. A new defensive coordinator will likely build his own staff and bring in his own guys.

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ST Coordinator Mike Priefer: ‘I don’t plan on going anywhere else’

“I love it here. I am under contract. I don’t plan on going anywhere else. I am from Cleveland. I want to help Cleveland win a world championship. That is why I am here, and that is my focus.”

We are entering the last week of the season, and coordinators for the Cleveland Browns are starting to get questions about their future with the team. First, it was defensive coordinator Joe Woods who closed his last presser of the year by saying he hoped to speak to the media again. Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer was also asked if there was any uncertainty surrounding his job.

“No. I love it here. I am under contract. I don’t plan on going anywhere else. I am from Cleveland. I want to help Cleveland win a world championship. That is why I am here, and that is my focus.”

It is not necessarily up to Priefer whether or not he stays, so it will be an interesting week after the Browns play the Pittsburgh Steelers, to say the least.

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