New Browns quarterback Josh McCown played without an offensive coordinator last season.
Wait, what?
The Buccaneers hired Jeff Tedford in the offseason to lead the offense, but a heart procedure during the preseason left the former University of Cal-Berkley head coach unable to work for the entire season. First-time quarterbacks coach, 35-year-old Marcus Arroyo, was handed the play-calling responsibilities and, subsequently, Tampa Bay ranked 30th in total offense.
Reporters close to the Buccaneers said McCown had to take on the added responsibility of helping install the offense each week. So, when he became a free agent in February, one of McCown's top priorities in making his choice was stability at the offensive coordinator position. Because of his history with John DeFilippo, who tutored McCown as the quarterbacks coach with the Raiders in 2007, the veteran was sold about the direction of Cleveland's offense
"That's where the cool thing for me during the visit was just sitting with Flip and seeing how much he has evolved and grown as a coach and the ideas and things he likes to do," McCown said during a conference call with reporters Monday. "I'm really looking forward to it. I'm excited about the opportunities to play in Flip's system.
"I think if you look at what this group was able to do last year running the football, it's certainly encouraging to know we can do that, have that kind of ground game. I think building on that will be key for us, and that's the fun part of this year is coming together and seeing the pieces that you've got and really building it together."
Tune in to Cleveland Browns Daily today when DeFilippo will join Nathan Zegura and Matt Wilhelm for an enlightening segment about the Browns' new offense.
Former Brown passes away
Ed Modzelewski, a championship-winning running back with the Browns, died last Saturday of congestive heart failure. He was 86.
Modzelewski started at running back for the Browns from 1955-57 and helped lead the Browns to an NFL title in 1955. Modzelewski moved to a backup role when Jim Brown arrived in Cleveland and retired from football in 1959.
After hanging up the cleats, Modzelewski opened a restaurant in Cleveland Heights, Mo and Juniors, and the successful chain started sprouting up all throughout the Midwest. Modzelewski is one of a handful of Browns players to also have his brother suit up for the Browns – his younger brother, Dick, played defensive line in Cleveland, making the Pro Bowl in 1964.
Per the Baltimore Sun, Modzelewski is survived by his second wife, Joanne, also of West Sedona; his first wife, Mary, of Phoenix, Ariz.; a brother, Dick, of Eastlake, Ohio; sisters Betty Logan of Las Cruces, N.M. and Florence Nowicki of Natrona Heights, Pa.; sons Michael Modzelewski, of West Palm Beach, Fla.; Scott and Bruce Modzelewski, both of Phoenix; daughter Nancy Giacobbi, of Bodega Bay, Calif.; and three grandchildren.
Thank you, Ed, for being a true Brown and a longtime ambassador of Cleveland.
Three interesting NFL headlines
Browns social media post of the day
Thank you for my best day of my life, big guys @alexmack55 @68Breno @AFWBcamps pic.twitter.com/HwpowzfNrU — Onat Gürsoy (@onatgursoy) March 1, 2015
Browns ready to ride hot hand with deep group of RBs
Cleveland RBs coach likes depth, diversity at the position
