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Brad Childress Hired as Cleveland Browns Offensive Coordinator

After being mentioned as a candidate for head coaching jobs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts, former Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress was hired as offensive coordinator by the Cleveland Browns on Friday.

Childress did not coach during the 2011 season after serving as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings from 2006 through the first 10 games of the 2010 season, prior to being fired as the Vikings were in turmoil and started the season 3-7.  The Vikings went 39-35 during the regular season under Childress, including back-to-back division titles in 2008 and 2009 highlighted by a 12-4 record in 2009 and reaching the NFC Championship Game.  

Prior to being named head coach in Minnesota, Childress served as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999-2005, where he was on the coaching staff with Browns head coach Pat Shurmur, who was Eagles tight ends coach from 1999-2001 and then served as quarterbacks coach from 2002-2008. Childress is the third assistant with NFL head coaching experience that Shurmur has hired, joining Dick Jauron and Ray Rhodes. 

Shurmur guided an offense that finished 29th in total offense (288.8 yards per game) and 30th in points (13.6 per game) during the 2011 season, so a change looks to be needed. Shurmur has suggested he will continue calling plays, but it is possible (or even likely) he would give those duties to Childress at some point if the offense continues to struggle. It is notable that Childress did not call plays when serving as Eagles offensive coordinator under head coach Andy Reid, and held play-calling duties during only his first season as Vikings head coach.

Childress has received some credit for his work with former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb when he was his position coach during McNabb's first few NFL seasons, so the Browns will certainly hope he can help get the most out of incumbent starting quarterback Colt McCoy or a potential first round pick if the team goes that direction in April's Draft. Childress is likely to be heavily involved in the decision of who starts under center for the Browns in 2012, even if Shurmur holds the ultimate authority. In any case, the West Coast Offense Shurmur brought with him to Cleveland should not go anywhere with Childress' hiring and that may have made him the most desirable candidate and the best fit, for better or worse.

Read more:  Andy Reid, brad berreman, Brad Childress, Cleveland Browns, Colt McCoy, Donovan McNabb, FN NFL Playoffs, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Pat Shurmur, Philadelphia Eagles, Week 21

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