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Rob Chudzinski, shown directing receivers during a Carolina Panthers practice in 2012, is steeped in the tradition of the Cleveland Browns. He grew up a rabid fan of the team as a kid in Toledo.
(Photo by AP)
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Rob Chudzinski, the Cleveland Browns' new head coach, grew up a rabid Browns in Toledo, Ohio, where he pretended to be Ozzie Newsome out in the yard and even ate a few dog biscuits.
He can still recite the starting lineup for the 1980 Kardiac Kids.
"I remember back when we'd flip the TV around in the window and go outside in the middle of winter and watch the game out there because we wanted to be there," he said when the Browns first hired him -- in 2004 as their tight ends coach. "We wanted to be part of it."
Now, he's more of a part of it than he ever dared dream as a boy. The Browns on Thursday named Chudzinski, 44, their 14th full-time head coach. The Panthers' offensive coordinator for the past two seasons replaces Pat Shurmur, who was fired Dec. 31. He's the sixth full-time head coach since the Browns returned in 1999.
He received a four-year deal worth a little more than $3 million a year, a source said.
It marks Chudzinski's first job as a head coach at any level, and his third tour stint with the Browns. He served as tight ends coach under Butch Davis in 2004 and interim offensive coordinator for the final five games that season, and as offensive coordinator in 2007-08 under Romeo Crennel.
Chudzinski is expected to name former Chargers coach Norv Turner as his offensive coordinator. Turner's son, Scott, who was a Panthers offensive quality control coach the past two seasons is expected to come as well. Chudzinski was Turner's tight ends coach and assistant head coach in San Diego in 2009-10.
The Browns are also likely to switch to a 3-4 defense, a source said, which means defensive coordinator Dick Jauron is probably gone. As for a new general manager to work alongside Chudzinski, the Browns have been eyeing Kansas City Director of Pro Personnel Ray Farmer.
It's not yet known how Chudzinski, a former tight end at Miami (Fla.), feels about the Browns' quarterbacks -- Brandon Weeden, Colt McCoy and Thad Lewis. But one thing Chudzinski definitely understands is the passion of Browns fans and their urgency to get to the Super Bowl. He lived through "The Drive" and "The Fumble," "Red Right 88" and cherished the Kardiac Kids.
"The fans here are special people," Chudzinski said in 2004. "I know because I was one of them and still am.''
Pretending to be Newsome all those years served Chudzinski well. He played tight end for the Hurricanes from 1986 to '90, winning two national championships -- one in 1987 when Davis was on the staff and one in 1989. He graduated from Miami in 1990 with a degree in business administration and earned his MBA. in 1996.
For the past two seasons, Chudzinski has worked with Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, who took the NFL by storm as a rookie in 2011 after being picked No. 1 overall. He became the first rookie in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards, while setting an NFL record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 14. Newton was named the 2011 Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The team also set club records for total yards (6,237) and first downs (345), one year after experiencing franchise lows in both categories.
The sensational season earned "Chud'' head coaching interviews with the Jaguars, Rams and Buccaneers last off-season.
This time around, he beat out Montreal Alouettes coach Marc Trestman, Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, fired Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt -- who Wednesday was brought in for a second interview -- and Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton. The Browns did not meet with Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.
In his first year as Browns offensive coordinator in 2007, Chudzinski helped the Browns to a 10-6 record and No. 8 ranking on offense. Four of his offensive players went to the Pro Bowl: quarterback Derek Anderson, receiver Braylon Edwards, left tackle Joe Thomas and tight end Kellen Winslow. The following year, the Browns plummeted to 31st on offense, went 4-12 and Crennel was fired.
As the Chargers' tight ends and assistant head coach in 2010, Chudzinski helped San Diego rank first in the NFL in total offense with an average of 395.6 yards per game and second in scoring with an average of 27.6 points per game.
Tight end Antonio Gates excelled during both of Chudzinski's two-year stints on the Chargers' staff (2005-06, 2009-10). Gates made his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl in 2010, one year after producing a career-high 1,157 yards. In 2005, Chudzinski's first season as San Diego's tight ends coach, Gates registered the only other 1,000-yard receiving season of his career with 1,101 yards on a career-high 89 receptions.
The Browns' 10 victories in 2007 were their most since 1994, and Chudzinski received much credit for the offensive production.
Chudzinski spent 10 years (1994-2003) as an assistant at his alma mater, the University of Miami (Fla.): three seasons as offensive coordinator, five as tight ends coach and two as a graduate assistant.
Miami won a national championship in 2001 and the next season helped the team set school records for points, total yards and rushing touchdowns. Chudzinski worked with numerous future NFL players at Miami, including wide receiver Andre Johnson, running backs Frank Gore, Willis McGahee and Clinton Portis, tackle Bryant McKinnie and quarterback Ken Dorsey.
A three-year starter at tight end for Miami from 1986-90, Chudzinski played on national championship teams in 1987 and 1989. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1990 and added a master's degree in business administration in 1996.
He attended St. John's Jesuit High School in Toledo.