In a job market where coordinators and head coaches are given a similarly short time expectancy with their franchise, the Cleveland Browns have been among the few NFL teams that have some continuity beyond two seasons.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski has lasted more than two seasons with the franchise — an average life expectancy for head coaches in the league. And his right-hand man for the offense has lasted as long as he has, giving him a new franchise mark.
Alex Van Pelt Enters Year 4 With Browns and Holds Rare Mark
As Alex Van Pelt enters Year 4 in Cleveland, he now holds this rare distinction with the franchise: He’s the longest-tenured Browns offensive coordinator since the franchise returned in 1999.
No other Browns OC has ever lasted beyond three seasons. And the list of past Browns coordinators is significant.
Bruce Arians: Long before he turned the Arizona Cardinals into a playoff contender and won Super Bowl 55 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arians spent 2001-2003 running the Cleveland offense.
Maurice Carthon: The former NFL running back spent 2005-2006 with the team as the OC.
Brian Daboll: Years before turning Josh Allen into a Pro Bowl quarterback for the Buffalo Bills and guiding the New York Giants to the 2022 playoffs, Daboll served as coordinator in 2009 and 2010.
Norv Turner: The longtime NFL offensive mind and former head coach of Washington, the Oakland Raiders, and the San Diego Chargers ran the offense in 2013.
Kyle Shanahan: The future San Francisco 49ers head coach and 2019 season NFC champion was the man calling the offense for the Browns in 2014 before giving way to John DeFilippo.
Before Van Pelt was handed the reins, he replaced Todd Monken after the 2019 season — the same Monken who won the national title with Georgia twice in his three years in Athens before returning to the league.
Van Pelt, now 53, ended up being one of the first hires made by Stefanski in 2020. How has Van Pelt managed to keep his position in an ever-changing coaching realm?
Van Pelt Has Led New Franchise Milestones
Since his arrival, the Browns’ offensive production has reached new heights.
In his first season with the team, the Browns tallied 408 total points — good enough for the second-most mark in franchise history. Cleveland also rose to 14th overall in offense after ranking 22nd the previous year.
While he has a background as a former Bills quarterback from 1995-2003 and helped guide Baker Mayfield to his best career passer rating (95.9), the Browns produced the league’s third-best ground game that season that featured the duo of Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb combining for 1,908 yards and 18 touchdowns.
The next year, Cleveland finished first in rushing yards per carry with 5.09 and fourth in total rushing yards. Last season, the Browns’ ground game finished sixth in yards and in rushing touchdowns.
Van Pelt is heading toward two decades of being an assistant. But now, he holds the rare distinction of being the longest-tenured offensive coordinator for the Browns. Furthermore, Cleveland happens to be the place where he’s lasted beyond two seasons in his time as a coach.