The Browns have hired Nolan Cromwell as a senior offensive assistant, the team confirmed Wednesday.
Cromwell, 56, will replace Keith Gilbertson, who retired after holding the title of senior offensive assistant last season with the Browns. Cromwell spent the past two seasons serving as the St. Louis Rams’ wide receivers coach.
Cromwell’s first season with the Rams was also Browns coach Pat Shurmur’s last as the Rams’ offensive coordinator.
From 2008-09, Cromwell served as an offensive coordinator for Texas A&M under coach Mike Sherman, who has reportedly interviewed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ coaching position. Sherman would be a logical candidate to fill the Browns’ offensive coordinator vacancy if he doesn’t get a job as a head coach.
Cromwell has another important connection to the Browns: He was a longtime assistant of President Mike Holmgren. While Holmgren was the coach of the Green Bay Packers, Cromwell coached the organization’s special teams from 1992-97 and its wide receivers in 1998. Cromwell then joined Holmgren as the latter took control of the Seattle Seahawks. Cromwell coached the Seahawks’ wide receivers from 1999-2007.
In 1991, Cromwell started his coaching career as a defensive and special teams assistant for the Los Angeles Rams. He played safety for the Rams for 11 seasons (1977-87) and was named to the Pro Bowl four times.
Brownies
Holmgren will be inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame. An induction banquet is scheduled for July 21 at the Lambeau Field Atrium. … In the annual awards presented by Pro Football Weekly and the Pro Football Writers of America, offensive lineman Joe Thomas was named to the All-NFL team, and defensive linemen Jabaal Sheard and Phil Taylor were selected to the All-Rookie team.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at http://browns.ohio.com. Follow the Browns on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ABJ_Browns and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/browns.abj.
