Report: Browns to Hire Alex Van Pelt as Offensive Coordinator

The Cleveland Browns appear to be zeroing in on their offensive coordinator as first reported by Zac Jackson of The Athletic. Alex Van Pelt, most recently the quarterbacks coach for the Cincinnati Bengals, is going to get the gig.

As first reported by Zac Jackson of The Athletic and then confirmed by numerous other reporters, the Cleveland Browns and head coach Kevin Stefanski are working toward hiring Alex Van Pelt to be the team's offensive coordinator. Van Pelt has been an offensive coordinator one year, 2009, with the Buffalo Bills. Otherwise, his work has almost exclusively been coaching quarterbacks, working with the Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers and most recently the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Sources: Browns moving towards hire of Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator.

— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) January 30, 2020

As a result, it seems likely that Stefanski will be calling the plays for the Browns as opposed to having Van Pelt do it, since it's been a hair over a decade since his last opportunity.

The soon to be 50 year old Van Pelt is notable for a few reasons. First, he was drafted in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the last time the NFL Draft had eight rounds. He then spent an 11-year career playing for two seasons behind Joe Montana with the Kansas City Chiefs and then backing up Jim Kelly for the the end of his career. His first coaching job was as a quarterback coach with the Frankfury Galaxy, which like the eighth round of the NFL Draft, no longer exists.

Van Pelt joins an offensive staff that includes Bill Callahan as the offensive line coach, Chad O'Shea as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator, Stump Mitchell coaching running backs and Drew Petzing as the tight ends coach. Unless the Browns hire a running game coordinator, the only position that has yet to be hired is a quarterbacks coach.