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Former Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt, right, was not told by the Cleveland Browns that the Browns front office wanted say over who would be on his coaching staff if the team hired him, a league source told The Plain Dealer.
(Photo by AP)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A report that talks broke down between the Browns and head coach candidate Ken Whisenhunt on Thursday because the front office wanted input on staff issues is "totally false," an NFL source said. Another source also said the report is untrue.
The report, by CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, said sources told him that Browns CEO Joe Banner and Whisenhunt failed to reach agreement on how much say the front office would have in rounding out the coaching staff. The source told The Plain Dealer that no such control was requested by the Browns and that the front office does not have that kind of authority now with new head coach Rob Chudzinski, who has free rein to hire his staff.
La Canfora reported the Browns “ultimately were most comfortable with a rookie head coach.”
After Whisenhunt flew to Cleveland on Thursday for a second interview, the Browns called Chudzinski about 4 p.m. that day and flew to Charlotte, N.C., to meet with him. They offered him the head coach job over dinner, about 7 p.m.
Whisenhunt, meanwhile, reportedly had a strong interview with the Chargers and interviewed with the Eagles on Monday morning. He also talked to the Bills before they hired Syracuse coach Doug Marrone.
Chudzinski, 44, is expected to name fired Chargers head coach Norv Turner his offensive coordinator when Turner returns from a vacation in Hawaii with his family. Chudzinski also is targeting Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano for the same position here.
In other Browns news:
• The Browns have interviewed Ray Farmer, Chiefs director of pro personnel, for their personnel vacancy, according to multiple reports.
Farmer, who has spent the past seven seasons in his current role with the Chiefs, is emerging as a frontrunner for the job, according to profootballtalk.com.
The site also reported that Vikings Assistant General Manager George Paton is out of the mix for the Browns, and a source told The Plain Dealer that Tom Gamble, 49ers director of player personnel — another Browns candidate — has not interviewed for the job, nor has he heard from the Browns in a while. Gamble was more of an option if Chip Kelly took the job, the source said.
Farmer, who played linebacker for the Eagles in the late 1990s when Banner was there, also satisfies the Rooney Rule — requiring a minority candidate to be interviewed. So if the Browns don’t hire him, the road is clear for them to hire another candidate such as NFL Network’s Mike Lombardi, who has long been reported to be on their short list.
In Kansas City, Farmer oversees the scouting of all players with professional experience, including the NFL and Canadian Football League. Before joining the Chiefs, he was a pro scout with the Falcons from 2002 to ’05.
• Browns offensive line coach George Warhop, 51, is expected to stay with the Browns, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN. Warhop worked under Turner in 2006 in San Francisco, when Turner was offensive coordinator. Mortensen said former Jets offensive coordinator Tony Sparano was set to meet with the Browns about their offensive line job, but he now will talk to the Chiefs.
• The Browns have denied six teams — the Bears, Chiefs, Colts, Lions, Panthers and Raiders — permission to interview special teams coach Chris Tabor, 41, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
• Former Browns quarterback Derek Anderson, who ripped Browns fans on his way out the door, is lobbying to come back now that his former Browns and Panthers coach Chudzinski is here.
He posted on his Facebook page in response to speculation that he will return now that Chud is here: “Fellas..fellas.. U know in my heart I love the city.. Got a little frustrated with the entire situation when I got fired.. But honestly think new ownership will do the right things..if u guys would have me back I’d love to come home.. I have alot of knowledge and have grown up in 3 years away! We could get this thing rolling again like we all know it can! In 2007 we had that place rocking and it was alot of fun!”
He also wrote: “Looks like it is time to make a return to a familiar place for some unfinished business. I’d be honored to return to Cleveland to play football if the fans would have me.”
It’s a dramatic departure from what Anderson said a day after he was released by then-Browns President Mike Holmgren in 2010. In an email to the News-Herald, Anderson wrote: “The fans are ruthless and don’t deserve a winner. I will never forget getting cheered when I was injured. I know at times I wasn’t great. I hope and pray I’m playing when my team comes to town and [we] roll them.”
Anderson enjoyed the best season of his career when Chudzinski was offensive coordinator of the Browns in 2007. Anderson went 10-5, threw 29 TD passes and made the Pro Bowl. Chudzinski also was instrumental in bringing him to the Panthers.
The Browns are not permitted to talk to free agents until March, but a source said it’s doubtful the Browns would bring him back.
• The Browns hired former Jaguars general counsel Sashi Brown, 36, to handle contract negotiations, a source confirmed. Brown has spent the past seven seasons with the Jags.
• Former Browns coach Pat Shurmur interviewed with the Panthers Monday for their offensive coordinator job, the Charlotte Observer reported.
• Former Browns and current Jaguars defensive coordinator Mel Tucker interviewed Monday for the Jaguars’ head coaching vacancy.