Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Browns complete their first coaching staff


The Browns rounded out their coaching staff Monday with the addition of three assistants to the position coaches and two senior assistants.
They also confirmed the coaches who have been retained, as previously reported.
The newcomers are Chris Beake (offensive assistant), Chuck Bullough (defensive assistant), Shawn Mennenga (special teams assistant) and Ray Rhodes (senior assistant/defense), who was formerly head coach of the Packers and Eagles. Keith Gilbertson will also return to the coaching ranks in 2011 as senior assistant – offense after previously serving as the Browns' director of pro personnel last year.
“With our coaching staff now complete, I'm excited about the group that we have been able to assemble,” head coach Pat Shurmur said in a press release. “I believe we have a blend of coaches with a tremendous amount of experience who have proven to be excellent teachers throughout the course of their careers.
"I have known most of these guys for a considerable amount of time, and not only have I been impressed with their work, but they are all greatly respected around the league.
"Many of our coaches have been a part of winning programs, which is an important element as well. I feel very good about the strengths that each coach possesses, and I am confident this will benefit our team.''
The Browns confirmed they've retained the following coaches: Gary Brown (running backs), Steve Hagen (tight ends), Jerome Henderson (defensive backs), Kent Johnston (strength and conditioning), Rick Lyle (assistant strength and conditioning), Luke Steckel (assistant to the head coach) and George Warhop (offensive line).
Rhodes brings 30 years of NFL coaching experience, including five seasons as a head coach. He spent the past three seasons with the Houston Texans, serving first as assistant defensive backs coach in 2008 before spending the last two seasons as senior defensive assistant. Rhodes spent five seasons working under Holmgren in Seattle as defensive coordinator (2003-05) and special projects/defense (2006-07). He also worked under Holmgren in Green Bay in 1992-93.
He was the head coach in Green Bay in 1998, leading the Packers to an 8-8 record. Rhodes was the head coach in Philadelphia from 1995-98 and in his first year there he earned NFL Coach of Year honors after guiding the Eagles to a 10-6 mark.
Beake spent last season as an offensive assistant with the 49ers. Prior to that, he spent two years with the Seahawks, first as an offensive quality control coach in 2008 before serving as an offensive assistant/assistant special teams coach the following season.
Bullough has 14 years of coaching experience on the collegiate and professional levels. He spent the previous five seasons at UCLA, where he served as the linebackers coach (2006-08) and defensive coordinator (2009-10). Bullough was an assistant at Michigan State at the same time as Shurmur.
Gilbertson joined the Browns last season. He has 38 years of coaching experience, most recently with Seattle, where he served in several capacities, including offensive consultant (2005), assistant offensive line coach (2006-07) and wide receivers coach (2008).
Mennenga brings 17 years of collegiate coaching experience to the Browns’ special teams. He most recently spent the past two seasons (2009-10) as the linebackers coach at South Dakota State.
Steckel enters his third season with the Browns as the assistant to the head coach. Steckel’s father, Les, was a coach for 32 years, 23 in the NFL, including the 1984 season as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings

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