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A source with knowledge of the situation tells us that the Browns have approached former Steelers coach Bill Cowher regarding the possibility of becoming the next coach in Cleveland.
Per the source, the Browns are willing to give Cowher a contract worth $8 million to $9 million per year.
Presumably, Cowher’s arrival would occur only if G.M. Phil Savage were fired or significantly marginalized. (Maybe Savage can go work for the Bills — or if all else fails he can root for them.) Cowher would want final say over personnel, and Cowher would want to install one or more of his former Steelers colleagues into key positions.
Likely candidates, if they can finagle a path out of Pittsburgh, would be director of football operations Kevin Colbert and/or director of business operations Omar Khan.
Cowher played for the Browns (i.e., Ravens) from 1980 through 1982, and he served as special teams coach in 1985 and 1986. He was moved to defensive backs coach in 1987, and he remained in that position through 1988.
November 20th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
All hail the mighty chin!!
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Rating: 2.85 / 5 with 6 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
What’s the impact of the Rooney Rule here? I mean, it shouldn’t exist in the first place, but how ironic is it that the rule named after the Steelers owner would be a speedbump to their former coach getting another job?
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Rating: 4.65 / 5 with 6 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Will Bill be looking for a gig at the end of the year? Has he said he will coach in ‘09? Will Cleveland be the one that acts and acts first?
If he wants to coach he will have some choices. I will wait to hear it from him.
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Rating: 4.2 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Great Brownies!! Go get him. Bring him on. The Steelers will bend in the chin and whip this fool too. Nothing can save Cleveland–doom on you Brownies!!
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 8 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
I don’t know what you mean by “i.e. Ravens” but Cowher played for the Browns. Cleveland retained their history when Modell moved to Baltimore. Any suggestion otherwise is incorrect (i.e. stupid).
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Rating: 4.4 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Browns are waiting on Cowher, but Cowher wants to coach the Cowboys
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
i.e. ravens? cowher was never part of the “ravens” organization. pathetic attempt at a cheap shot, mike.
it would be nice if phil were willing to take a demotion, and perhaps me might, but i doubt it. cya savage.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Why would Colbert/Khan WANT to leave Pittsburgh for Cleveland?
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
They better pay Colbert a boat load of money to leave Pittsburgh. Why else would he want to leave his hometown to actually have less say over personnel and on a lousy team at that?
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
If this is true, and I have my doubts, you have to hand it to the Cleveland brass. Starting Quinn was their call (not Savage, not Crennel). They go after Cowher; a Cleveland fan can NEVER complain again.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
He isnt going to the Browns. Jerry Jones will relinquish his GM role and bring Cowher to Dallas. That new stadium is going to need some presence and the Cowher will bring that. (I can dream right)
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Rating: Not yet rated
November 20th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
You know, Cowher going to coach the Browns makes me cringe a little bit, but it’s something I could get over. Taking Kevin Colbert with him is completely different another story. The Steelers were heading towards a downswing in the late 90’s and he’s the key reason they didn’t stay that way. This article left me sick to my stomach.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
I hear he’s Philadelphia bound….
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Rating: Not yet rated
November 20th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
If I was Savage and I was able to save my own hide, I’d go out and get Russ Grimm from Arizona — I’d be getting a guy who wants to stick it to the Steelers, a guy who will bring the style of play you need in the division, and a guy from the Cowher Tree all at the same time, and I’d be able to keep power too.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
The Rooney rule is a joke. They’ll interview some schmoe who knows he has no shot and then hire the Chin. Or worse, they won’t be able to get anyone to interview because it’s a done deal and the league will fine them $500,000 but any Cleveland fan would tell you it was worth it to have competent head coach and front office.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
How many coaches have coached a superbowl winner and then went on to coach another superbowl winner? Look at history. The Clowns don’t want The Chin. He’ll NEVER win them a SB. But then again, may they want to continue to be mired in the mediocrity that is the Cleveland Browns.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
…and they wonder why it’s hurts to be a Raiders fan. The Browns are linked to Bill Cowher, the Raiders are linked to Jim Fassell, Dennis “They are who we thought they are!” Green and Jim Harbaugh…
…yay ; ;
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Rating: Not yet rated
November 20th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Cowher WILL go to the Browns. He has sat on the sidelines long enough. The “urge” has returned, and before long the “Stillers” will regret not having opened the purse strings and paid the “Chin.”
Of course there is still the line of thought that says Coach Chin was dallying with a little filly, and mama found out, and that ultimately led to his exit - but that has never really been proved.
Still, time for him to return, and return he will, to the chagrin of all the Rooneys - or whomever ends up owning and/or running the Steelers.
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Now, if the Eagles want to fire Andy Reid then they need to pursue Cowher. His gritty personality would fit right in with Philly. I think that’s really the one thing that drives fans nuts about Big Red and Dmac. Same reason Garcia had such a nice time towards the end. Philly fans like grit and fight and enthusiasm. Big Red and #5 both tend to come off as nonchalant which makes it seem (to a lot of fans that is) like they don’t really care.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
This is a great hire if your goal is to lose multiple AFC championship games.
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
In a related story, RAC was seen in Foxboro looking for houses.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Considering that Big Ben has set a record for 4th quarter comeback wins, I’d say “Roethlischoker” is a pretty dumb handle.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Please, please, please hire Cowher, Cleveland! New England needs their Defensive Coordinator back.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
“i.e. Ravens?”
Florio, you certainly are a class act.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 20th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
As a Browns fan, I can only hope that this comes true. I’d love to see what Cowher could get out of this team. But I’d like to hear him say something about it before we get up in arms about anything. I wonder what Phil Savage thinks about all this. He’s probably sending one of his riveting e-mails to Cowher right now…
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 4 rating(s)