Callahan has informed the Browns that he’s taking the job, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams are not commenting during the interview process. The elder Callahan had been on coach Kevin Stefanski’s staff in Cleveland since 2020.
Brian Callahan was recently hired by the Titans, who fired Mike Vrabel on Jan. 9 following consecutive losing seasons. The younger Callahan, 39, had been Cincinnati’s offensive coordinator since 2019.
At his introductory news conference, Brian Callahan was emotional when talking about his dad.
“I don’t know how many fathers and sons have been head coaches in the NFL, I don’t think it’s many,” he said. “I think that’s a very prideful thing for him to be associated with, him and I. You live this lifestyle and there’s a lot of ups and downs and there’s a lot of adversity that comes your way in coaching.
“The fact that I’ve been able to stand up here and he’s been able to do the same thing, for me, that’s a huge honor. Obviously, you want to be like your dad.”
Bill Callahan has a reputation as one of the NFL’s best offensive line coaches. The 67-year-old was previously a head coach in Oakland and Washington.
He did some of his best work this season with the Browns, who were ravaged by injuries on their offensive line.
After the team lost starting right tackle Jack Conklin to a season-ending knee injury in the opener, Callahan helped rookie Dawand Jones develop quickly, and the fourth-round draft pick from Ohio State played well in 11 games before suffering a knee injury.
Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. also went down with a knee injury, and the Browns played down the stretch — and in the playoffs — with backups at both tackle spots.
Last week, Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio praised Callahan, who has been with the Browns since 2020, while knowing it was probably inevitable he wouldn’t be back.
“Coach Callahan has been instrumental for us,” Bitonio said. “He’s helped develop a bunch of us on the line. We’re thankful for that. He’s one of the hardest workers I know. He puts in the time with us and he’s a big part of the run game and the scheme and protections.
“But when your son gets hired as the head coach and if your son calls, you might need to take that phone call as well. That’s pretty special stuff.”
Callahan’s departure is a major loss for the Browns and Stefanski, who shook up his staff following an 11-6 regular season and a 45-14 loss to the Houston Texans in the wild-card round.
Stefanski fired offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, running backs coach Stump Mitchell and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney.
He’s hired Ken Dorsey, Duce Staley and Tommy Rees for those respective positions, but the Browns have not yet announced the additions. Stefanski also hired former Houston assistant Jacques Cesaire as his defensive line coach.
Pattriots hire Van Pelt as new OC
Fired Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has been hired for the same job with the New England Patriots, giving first-time head coach Jerod Mayo an experienced voice on offense.
Mayo, a former linebacker and linebackers coach, was promoted to replace Bill Belichick after the team parted ways with the six-time Super Bowl champion following a 4-13 season. Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien left to take the same role at Ohio State.
Van Pelt, 53, was fired after the Browns lost 45-14 to the Houston Texans in the playoffs. He had been Cleveland’s offensive coordinator since 2020, adding the role of quarterbacks coach last season.
He had also worked for the Bengals, Packers, Buccaneers and Bills during a 20-year career as an NFL assistant, also working for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe and the Buffalo Bulls of the Mid-American Conference.
Van Pelt was a quarterback at Pittsburgh, where he broke the school’s records for single-season and career passing yards that had been held by Dan Marino. An eighth-round pick by the Steelers in the 1993 draft, he also spent time as a backup with the Chiefs and Bills.
He spent nine seasons in Buffalo, making 11 starts and throwing for 2,985 yards 16 touchdowns and 24 interceptions.
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