Wendi Oliveros
February 21 2023
The Cleveland
Browns made a late decision to fire the 2022 special teams
coordinator Mike Priefer on February 21, 2023.
By NFL standards,
a head coach that remains in the job (as Kevin Stefanski is) usually fires
staff members at the end of the season.
He
fired the defensive coordinator Joe Woods over a month ago.
Some
believe the late-in-the-game firing means that Stefanski has a candidate in
mind who is suddenly becoming available.
It
is not clear if that is the case.
Here
are three potential candidates for the vacant Browns special teams coordinator job
ranked in descending order for the likelihood of getting hired.
3. Phil Dawson
48-year-old Phil Dawson has not
been contacted by the Browns for an interview, but he would be an outstanding special teams coach for
the team.
He is a living legend in Cleveland,
spending 14 years as the Browns kicker from 1999-2012.
Dawson knows the intricacies of kicking
at FirstEnergy Stadium because of the wind and conditions and would be a great
coach and mentor for Browns second-year kicker Cade York out of LSU.
2. Raymond “Bubba” Ventrone
The
Browns want to interview Colts special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone, 40.
This would be a lateral move for
him so the Colts could prohibit the interview from happening.
Ventrone
spent four seasons with the Browns from 2009-2012 and was part of their special
teams unit.
He
would be a fan favorite, but the fact that it is a lateral move complicates
things.
1. Anthony Blevins
The
Browns have requested permission from the New York Giants to interview
assistant special teams coordinator Anthony Blevins.
The Giants cannot refuse because
this would be a promotion for Blevins.
Blevins
is 46 years old and a former XFL player.
He
started in 2018 and has worn a lot of hats on the Giants coaching staff.
Blevins
began as the Giants’ assistant special teams coach but also served as the
assistant defensive backs coach and the assistant linebackers coach.
Prior
to his time with the Giants, he was the assistant special teams coach for the
Arizona Cardinals from 2013-2017.
Blevins
has plenty of experience, and this would be a well-deserved promotion which is
why he is the most likely candidate to get the job.