BEREA, Ohio – Cleveland Browns Head Coach Mike Pettine added to his initial coaching staff on Monday by naming Kyle Shanahan as offensive coordinator.
Shanahan comes to the Browns with a solid six years of experience as an NFL offensive coordinator, including the last four with the Washington Redskins.
Last season, Shanahan helped the Redskins offense finish ninth in the NFL in total yards per game (369.7) and fifth in rushing (135.3). WR Pierre Garcon set a franchise record and led the NFL with 113 receptions. Garcon also finished eighth in the league with 1,346 receiving yards.
Shanahan's offense saw RB Alfred Morris, a sixth-round pick in 2012, rush for more than 1,200 yards in each of his first two NFL seasons. In 2012, he rushed for a franchise-record 1,613 yards, which ranked second in the NFL that year and third-most ever by a rookie. Morris' 2,888 combined rushing yards from 2012-13 are the second-most in the NFL during that span behind Adrian Peterson (3,363).
In 2012, the Redskins captured the NFC East title and became the first team in NFL history to pass for 3,400 yards and rush for 2,700 yards in the same season. Despite starting rookies at both the quarterback and running back positions for all 16 games, Washington led the NFL in yards per play (6.17) and led the league in rushing yards for the first time since 1933.
Shanahan helped quarterback Robert Griffin III set NFL rookie records in passer rating (102.4), lowest percentage of passes had intercepted (1.27) and rushing yards by a rookie quarterback (815) en route to his 2012 Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year recognition.
In his first season with the Redskins in 2010, Shanahan's offense set a franchise record in completions (349), and registered the team's third-highest passing yards. In addition, the team recorded a touchdown pass in 15 consecutive games for the first time in club history, and led the NFL with nine completions of at least 50 yards.
Prior to Washington, Shanahan spent four seasons (2006-09) with the Houston Texans, the final two as offensive coordinator.
With Shanahan calling the plays, WR Andre Johnson led the NFL in receiving yards in both 2008 (1,575) and 2009 (1,569). Johnson also led the league in receptions in 2008 (115). During Shanahan's two seasons as offensive coordinator (2008-09), Johnson led the NFL in receiving yards (3,144) and ranked second in receptions (216).
Under Shanahan's direction, the 2009 Texans led the NFL in passing yards (4,654) and ranked fourth in total offense (6,129), both of which set franchise records. The Texans also set a franchise record with 29 touchdown passes. QB Matt Schaub that year led the NFL in completions (396), attempts (583) and passing yards (4,776).
Houston was also equally adept at running the ball as the team totaled 1,846 rushing yards in 2008 with a team-record 4.3 yards per carry. In addition, RB Steve Slaton led all NFL rookies with a then-franchise record 1,282 rushing yards.
Shanahan coached the Texans quarterbacks in 2007 and wide receivers in 2006. With Shanahan as his position coach, Johnson in '06 led the NFL with 103 receptions and recorded 1,147 receiving yards.
Before joining the Texans, Shanahan served as offensive quality control coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2004-05. In his first season with the Buccaneers, WR Michael Clayton established franchise rookie records in receptions (80) and receiving touchdowns (seven). In 2005, WR Joey Galloway finished seventh in the NFL in receiving yards (1,287).
Shanahan got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at UCLA in 2003.
He played wide receiver at Duke before transferring in 2000 to Texas, where he spent two seasons at wide receiver. As a senior, he played in 12 games and averaged 8.9 yards per reception.
Shanahan was born in Minneapolis, Minn., and attended Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, Colo.
Shanahan joins Jim O'Neil (defense) and Chris Tabor (special teams) as the Browns' coordinators. Pettine previously named Brian Angelichio (tight ends), Bobby Babich (assistant secondary), Chuck Driesbach (linebackers), Brian Fleury (assistant linebackers), Jeff Hafley (secondary) and Shawn Mennenga (assistant special teams) as assistant coaches.
