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I wouldn't mind that option. We know he's had success in a similar style of offense, too.

Mariota looked pretty good at his limited duties in Washington this year as well. 34 of 44 with a 73.4 % completion rate. 8.3 yards per completion with a 131.3 QBR with 4td's and 0int's.

It's a small sample size but quite impressive.

I think Mariota would be a good choice. Experienced and still athletic. I think he could run KS's offense, too.

Just as an FYI...

Marcus Mariota signed a 1 year , $6,000,000 contract with the Washington Commanders, including $3,000,000 signing bonus, $5,390,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $6,000,000. He becomes a free agent at the end of this season.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/player/_/id/16726/marcus-mariota

j/c...

This might have already been mentioned but it was news to me that the Browns have already interviewed 5 offiensive coordinator candidates. In addition to Rees and Kubiak, we've also interviewed Darrell Bevell, Charles London and Kevin Koger.

https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...arch-klint-kubiak-rumors-kevin-stefanski

That is kinda what I would expect if we promoted a position coach or brought someone from outside the Kubiak/Shanny tree.

If we hire Klint Kubiak and then DON'T have him calling plays I'd actually be pretty shocked.

Has anyone given any thought to Jaxson Dart? Kinda looks like the REAL Deal!

Highlights rarely tell the whole story.. But they are fun to watch

I like this promotion. Now let him develop a young QB.

KS will resume play calling IMO

That's my guess too.

Stefanski got his way. Browns Offense sucked at the beginning of the year with him calling plays, make Dorsey calls plays so the suck continues and everyone forgets how horrible the beginning of the season was, fire Dorsey, hire an internal guy with no Pro play calling experience so Stefanski takes back what he always wanted and absolutely hated giving up, play calling. Easy Peasy.

Here is a good article about what Tommy Rees is all about...
Why hiring Tommy Rees is the latest sign Nick Saban plans to alter Alabama's offensive philosophy

Yes, lacking any legitimate QB had no part of the results we have been seeing. In case you missed it Stefanski led the Browns to the playoffs with Flacco at QB with his play calling. But let's just forget about that.

I have mixed feelings about this hire. I liked everything I hear about him lately, but I initially preferred McCown or Kubiak. I guess we'll see.

As with you he wouldn't have been my first choice.

Thanks!

A few tidbits from the article:


Brian Kelly wanted to hire him at LSU, and now Nick Saban has plucked Rees away from South Bend to Alabama.

He’s most known for running a more pro-style, power run scheme, but make no mistake, he’s coming to run the Nick Saban offense at Alabama.

And he just hired a young coordinator whose hallmark is running a play-action-heavy, ball-control offense.

“That’s a downhill flat-back rushing attack. (All these Alabama) fans say we miss the good-ole days with (Jim) McElwain. Well, guess what, that’s what you’re getting with Tommy Rees. He’s going to use 12 personnel. He’s going to use tight ends. He’s going to hammer you. It’s a very effective style of attack.

“You guys like 2015 Derrick Henry led offense? Because that’s what you’re going to get with Tommy Rees,” former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy said in a radio interview with WJOX 94.5.

“It might not be one back, but you’re going to get heavy personnel with a downhill rushing attack. Ala 2009. Ala 2010. Ala 2011, 2012.

Play action makes a lot of sense, but I'm not exactly sure how much down-hill running would integrate into Stefanski's philosophy.

Yay??

I was kinda hoping for Kubiak to be hired. Someone a bit more experienced and trusted to keep Stefanski from taking back playcalling. I'm assuming that KS will be calling plays, but him giving up those duties when he did didn't make much sense either, so what do I know, I guess.

It's a positive that we were able to retain a coach that was valued and maybe would've gotten a promotion elsewhere, but my preference for the offensive side of the ball is to have the more experienced coordinators... at least until we get our feet back under us.

I think down-hill running integrates into any offense as long as you have the right personal on the OL. Yes, Stefanski likes to break that script a lot during the course of the game, but he still loves him some second and shorts. He should, Nick has been running downhill to give him those for years.

Unless you have a highwire act at QB and WR, or Barry Sanders in the backfield, downhill running should be your primary goal. That's strictly my opinion, I see it as the most important part of any potent offense. It's adaptable to all conditions and opponents.

IMO it's a good hire. Young guy new ideas. Mike Vrabel wanted to hire him for the same job with the Pats according to local sports radio. Vrabel was impressed with Rees this year.

I'm not sure how much what McElroy thought they would run, and what Rees actually ran at Alabama coincided.

We'll see. I think Rees is more adaptable and collaborative than tied to a system. At 32, He's probably still figuring out "his" system.

Hopefully he's more willing to look at what worked in Stefanski's system and adapt that instead of trying to change everything to something new.

Can't wait for Mary Kay Homer to go every sports talk radio
Show in Cleveland and tell how great this hiring is .and how lethal
The Browns offense will be in 2025.

I agree with this. He should be able to bring some new ideas in areas that may not be Stefanski's strengths.

None of us really know all that much about the guy. What I do know is we think highly of him. Saban thought highly of him. Strong rumors indicate that Vrabel thought highly of him and wanted to take him to New England as the OC.

Those endorsements are good enough for me.

A few snippets from the Jason Lloyd article in The Athletic that dropped this morning.

The Browns tried giving Watson what he wanted. They fired offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt after the 2023 season and brought in Ken Dorsey, who had more experience with mobile quarterbacks like Josh Allen and Cam Newton. Two weeks after Van Pelt was fired, Bill Callahan departed as offensive line coach to join his son Brian’s staff in Tennessee.

I’ve spoken to players who believe Callahan would have stayed had Van Pelt remained on staff — when Brian first started receiving head-coaching interviews in 2023, Bill made clear he was staying in Cleveland — but all of that seemed to change when Van Pelt was fired. Andy Dickerson was hired to replace Callahan. The changes were a disaster.

.....

The line under Dickerson struggled with injuries and protections. Watson was sacked 33 times in his seven starts, although he did little to help himself. He consistently missed getting proper depth in the pocket — when he was supposed to drop 8 yards, he was only getting 6, according to two players with knowledge of the Browns’ offensive schemes. Watson continually ran into his linemen on sacks because he was standing in places they didn’t expect him to be.

....

In a September loss to the New York Giants, the Browns ran a slant/out combo route on a run-pass option on a key fourth down late in the game. Tight end Jordan Akins was open in the flat, but Watson didn’t see him and was stopped short of the first down on a keeper. At his weekly media availability three days later, Watson said Akins was “a decoy” on that play and not an intended receiver.

“We all saw the same things,” one player said. “We all watch the film. Guys are open.”

According to multiple players, those mistakes weren’t pointed out in film sessions, frustrating at least a few veterans who believed Stefanski wouldn’t criticize Watson in front of the team. When Jameis Winston replaced Watson after he tore his Achilles in October, players said Stefanski returned to pointing out the quarterback’s mistakes in film sessions.

....

Players told me there was a constant heaviness surrounding Watson in the locker room and that they felt a different energy in the building upon his departure after his Achilles injury in October. A couple of veterans told me it felt like a cloud had been lifted.

That is VERY concerning.

Stefanski really starting to build a rep for not knowing how to handle star players.

Fixed it for you

Callahan was not going to pass up the opportunity to work with his son. Seeing that lets me know that's nothing but noise.

True. And before she even knows how different this roster will look by the beginning of the 2025 season. And I cant's wait to see people say that couldn't happen before they even know how much different the roster will look for the 2025 season.

We have no idea what Callahan's reasoning was when he decided to leave the Browns. Clearly Callahan had a ring side seat, viewing the constant favoritism the Browns management and coaches were showing in an effort to please Watson.

Bill Callahan may have used the OLine opening with the Titans and coaching with his son as his best opportunity to get out of the Browns WATSON mess. When Van Pelt was fired Callahan may have sensed that he might be the next Browns coach to be sacrificed for Watson...best for Bill Callahan to exit a bad situation.

Pushing an agenda that makes no sense isn't surprising considering the source.

So let me see if I get this straight....... In maclandia the fact that a a mans son has made it to the top of the coaching ladder and asked his dad to join him isn't the reason he went to work with him?

Alrighty then!

Stefanski was being too easy on him.

probably saw that his QB was a wreck and was trying to build him back up.

water under the bridge.