When the Cleveland Browns return to the field on Thursday for the 2023 Hall of Fame Game vs. the New York Jets, they’ll have two new coaching staff members and a coordinator making his second stint with the team. However, six members of the staff will have a new role compared to last season. Here’s a look.
Cleveland Browns 2023 Coaching Staff
- Kevin Stefanski, Head Coach
- Alex Van Pelt, Offensive Coordinator
- Stump Mitchell, Running Backs Coach/Run Game Coordinator
- Kevin Rogers, Senior Assistant/Special Projects
- Riley Hecklinski, Coordinator/Coaching Logistics
- Callie Brownson, Assistant Wide Receivers Coach
- Bill Callahan, Offensive Line Coach
- Jonathan Decoster, Offensive Assistant
- Ashton Grant, Offensive Assistant/Quarterbacks
- T.C. McCartney, Tight Ends
- Bill Musgrave, Senior Offensive Assistant
- Chad O’Shea, Wide Receivers/Passing Game Coordinator
- Scott Peters, Assistant Offensive Line
- Nemo Washington, Diversity Coaching Fellowship
- Jim Schwartz, Defensive Coordinator
- Jeff Anderson, Defensive Quality Control
- Ephraim Banda, Safeties
- Ben Bloom, Defensive Line
- Zach Dunn, Defensive Assistant
- Brandon Lynch, Cornerbacks
- Jason Tarver, Linebackers
- Jordan Thomas, Assistant Defensive Line
- Bubba Ventrone, Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator
- Stephen Bravo-Brown, Assistant Special Teams
New Faces Include Longtime NFL Assistant and Former Offensive Coordinator
Bill Musgrave is brand new to the Browns but not new to the league. If the name rings a bell for NFL fans and those who follow assistant coaches, Musgrave is a veteran offensive coordinator for a total of 12 seasons.
While with the Minnesota Vikings, he helped oversee Adrian Peterson’s 2,097-yard season in 2012. Then in 2015-2016, he coordinated Derek Carr to two of his best seasons with the Oakland Raiders while also helping turn Amari Cooper into a 1,000-yard wide receiver. He was then the OC for the Denver Broncos from 2017-18 but was not retained for the 2019 season.
Musgrave was most recently at the University of California, his first collegiate job since Virginia in 2002. Musgrave, though, was let go during the 2022 season with two games remaining on the schedule.
The 55-year-old isn’t the only one who’s being brought over from the college game. New safeties coach Ephraim Banda comes over via Utah State, where he was the defensive coordinator and safeties coach. The Browns will also represent his first NFL coaching opportunity, as he’s had previous stops at Miami, Mississippi State, Texas, and Incarnate Word.
Who Has New Roles on the Browns?
Meanwhile, there are six returning staff members who have new roles.
Kevin Rogers is one, going from a senior offensive assistant position to a special projects role. Riley Hecklinski is going from the scouting department to coaching logistics. Ashton Grant holds the title of offensive quality control coach after serving as co-QB coach last season.
Elsewhere, Callie Brownson is no longer in a chief of staff role and will share coaching duties with the WRs. Brandon Lynch goes from assistant defensive backs coach to coaching up the cornerbacks. Lastly, Ben Bloom goes from run game coordinator to having the defensive line to himself.
Meanwhile, Jim Schwartz is making his return to the Browns as a 2023 new addition. He was previously with the Browns from 1993-1995 under former Cleveland head coach Bill Belichick. Schwartz was with the Tennessee Titans for the past two seasons as a senior defensive assistant.