The Cleveland Browns have made a significant change after ending the season with a 3-14 record. The AFC North team has promoted Tommy Rees to offensive coordinator.
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The Browns announced the news on Jan. 15 and confirmed that Rees will remain in the building after a successful season as the tight ends coach/pass game specialist. He will try to improve an offense that ranked 28th in total offense last season.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski was the play-caller for the first eight weeks of the season, but he relinquished this role. OC Ken Dorsey then took over as the Browns continued to struggle. It did not help that the team started four different quarterbacks (Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Bailey Zappe.
While the Browns ended the season last in total points, certain offensive players shined. Jerry Jeudy earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl after a career year (90 catches for 1,229 yards). Multiple tight ends combined for 111 catches, 953 yards, and eight touchdowns.
"Tommy has an incredible football mind," Stefanski said in a press release from the team. "He is extremely bright and has been around the game his entire life. Before joining our staff, he established himself as one of the top assistant coaches in college football.
"Last season, he transitioned into our tight end room and with our pass game, and he didn't miss a beat. Due to injuries, there was a lot of uncertainty at tight end, but Tommy did a phenomenal job with that group and always had his players ready for gameday, despite, in some cases, only being with the team for a short period of time."
Rees' time in the NFL has included a stop in San Diego. He was an offensive assistant for the Chargers during the 2016 season as he worked under offensive coordinator Ken Wisenhunt.
Rees also has experience as an offensive coordinator in college football. He guided the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2023 season when the team went 12-2 and reached the College Football Playoffs. He guided Notre Dame as OC from 2020-22 as the team averaged more than 30 points per game.
Rees will now take on a new role with the Browns as the team faces significant questions about the quarterback position. Watson experienced a major setback in his recovery from a torn Achilles and will not be ready for the season. Neither Thompson-Robinson nor Winston delivered the consistency the Browns sought.
The AFC North team has the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, so it will be in prime position to draft one of the top college quarterbacks. Whether the Browns make this choice remains to be seen, but Rees could potentially join forces with Quinn Ewers, Cam Ward, or Shedeur Sanders.
