Mike Pettine named Cleveland Browns head coach

The Browns have decided they will not wait until after the Super Bowl to meet with Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and have gone on to hire Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine,  as their seventh full-time head coach since the Browns returned in 1999.

Pettine, 47, was the seventh of ten candidates interviewed by the Browns.  He replaces Rob Chudzinski, who was fired after going 4-12 in his only season as head coach of the Browns.

On Wednesday afternoon, Pettine told cleveland.com from Mobile, that he expected some feedback from the Browns by the day’s end.

The Browns interviewed Pettine for the last time Thursday and immediately liked him, a source said.  The Browns moved pretty quick on Pettine, opting not to wait until after the Super Bowl, to have hired Quinn.  They could have interviewed him on Sunday, but they opted to go with Pettine instead.

There has been plenty of talk as of late, that Green Bay Packers running backs coach Alex Van Pelt, was a strong possibility to be named offensive coordinator of the Browns if Pettine was hired.  Van Pelt, if you remember, was a former quarterback for the Steelers, Chiefs, and Bills.  Another name that has been mentioned as well, is former Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, who Pettine is very familiar with from their days in Baltimore together.

Will be very interesting to see how the introductory press conference goes, and if Pettine will mention who he has been in touch with as far as coordinators go.

Cleveland…We have a coach!!!!

-MR(@puckelves)