Since the Browns fired Mike Preifer earlier this week, indications have been that Cleveland was targeting Bubba Ventrone to be its next special teams coordinator.
A report emerged confirming that would be the case on Wednesday night. Now another detail has been revealed as to how the Browns were able to secure Ventrone.
According to multiple reports, the Browns will name Ventrone assistant head coach/special teams coordinator.
The assistant head coach title was something Ventrone did not have with the Colts, who reportedly wanted to keep him around.
As noted by Zak Keefer of TheAthletic.com, Ventrone would like to be a head coach someday and this step up in title gets him closer to that. And Keefer speculates that while Ventrone never said it, it may have bothered him that he was passed over for Jeff Saturday when Indianapolis needed an interim head coach during the 2022 season. Ventrone had support in the Colts building — including from players — to become the interim coach.
But, the Browns will be getting one of their former players back in the building as a coach. And Ventrone has a reputation for crafting strong special teams units.
Indianapolis averaged a league-best 27.8 yards per return on kickoffs and 8.5 yards per return on punts this past season. The Colts’ opponents averaged only 23 yards on kickoff returns last season and 7.4 yards on punt returns.
