Report Indicates Browns Lost Key Coach Over Costly Decision

After an embarrassing 3-14 season, the Cleveland Browns are left trying to answer why things things went poorly in 2024?

That question starts on the offensive side of the ball, where Cleveland boasted one of the worst offenses in the history of football for the first seven weeks of the season with quarterback Deshaun Watson under center. The embattled QB was certainly part of the problem – a major reason why his absence following a season-ending Achilles injury seemed to benefit the team. Watson was hardly the only issue though.

A veteran offensive line that once was a strength of the Browns regressed massively under new o-line coach Andy Dickerson, leading to Mike Vrabel – serving as a consultant last year – working closely with the group as the season wore on. The orgins of Cleveland's o-line struggles, however, could be traced back to the team allowing legendary position coach Bill Callahan out of his contract to go coach with his son Brian Callahan, who became the head coach of the Tennessee Titans.

At the time it looked liked the Browns simply doing right by a father, by allowing him the unique opportunity to coach with his kid. A new piece by Jason Lloyd of The Athletic paints a much different picture though.

According to Lloyd, some within the Browns believed Callahan was more inclined to stay with the franchise if they hadn't previously fired offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt earlier in the offseason.

"I’ve spoken to players who believe Callahan would have stayed had Van Pelt remained on staff — when Brian first started receiving head-coaching interviews in 2023, Bill made clear he was staying in Cleveland — but all of that seemed to change when Van Pelt was fired," wrote Lloyd. "Andy Dickerson was hired to replace Callahan. The changes were a disaster."

One year later, the organization fired Dickerson and hired former Rice head coach Mike Bloomgren to fill the void left initially by Callahan in 2024.

Meanwhile, Van Pelt's exit at the time may not have seemed like a major deal, particularly because head coach Kevin Stefanski was the team's primary play-caller, it appears the ripple effects of that decision may have been more devastating than it seemed.

NFL insider Albert Breer of the Sports Illustrated has gone as far as referring to Van Pelt a "glue guy" on Cleveland's staff during his four years on Stefanski's staff. This latest report would certainly give more credence to the idea that he was held in high esteem not only among players but his fellow coaches as well.

It's long been said by the organization that decisions with the coaching staff are made by Stefanski himself. Some reporting suggests, however, that Stefanski was urged to make a change at OC last offseason by forces above his pay grade in an effort to appease Watson.

That decision may not have only cost the Browns one of the best position coaches in the business, but also may have served as an initial source of the teams struggles in 2024.