Cleveland Browns have hired Buffalo Bills DC Mike Pettine as their new head coach.
“We are thrilled to announce Mike Pettine as the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns,” Haslam said. “Mike is the epitome of what we want the Browns to be — tough, aggressive and innovative — with a blue-collar, team-first mentality. He knows what’s necessary to beat teams in the AFC North.”
“Most importantly, Mike has repeatedly shown the ability to lead his players to consistent improvement and success, clearly what we are striving for as he leads the Cleveland Browns moving forward.”
Pettine, 47,  first met with the Browns’ only a week ago and finalized a contract on Thursday to make himself the teams seventh full-time coach since 1999, and third since Haslam took control of the team in 2012. He was not on the Browns’ original list of candidates, but he emerged as others either took themselves out of consideration or were hired elsewhere, according to ESPN.
Pettine replaces Rob Chudzinski, who was fired on Dec. 29 after going 4-12 in his inaugural season.
Pettine has had zero head-coaching experience above the high-school level, but has been an NFL coordinator since 2009. Now he will have the all important task of hiring the right offensive coordinator to oversee the Browns’ broken offense.
