Ex-Browns coach Rob Chudzinski 'shocked and disappointed' by firing

Nate Davis | USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Browns didn't wait until Black Monday to make a coaching change, and their dismissal of Rob Chudzinski on Sunday night came as a surprise to the league and the first-year coach himself.

"I was shocked and disappointed to hear the news that I was fired," Chudzinski said in a statement issued through the team Monday.

"I am a Cleveland Brown to the core, and always will be. It was an honor to lead our players and coaches, and I appreciate their dedication and sacrifice. I was more excited than ever for this team, as I know we were building a great foundation for future success.

"While clearly I would have liked to see the long-term vision through to the end, I am very grateful to (owner) Jimmy Haslam and the Haslam family for letting me live my dream."

Chudzinski was given his pink slip about six hours after Cleveland's season ended with a 20-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns, who were 4-5 at their bye week and on the fringes of the AFC playoff picture in early November, lost their final seven games and extended their postseason drought to 11 seasons.

"We appreciate Chud's passion for the Browns, and we have great respect for him both personally and professionally," the Browns said in a statement. "We needed to see progress with this football team. We needed to see development and improvement as the season evolved and, unfortunately, we took a concerning step backward in the second half of the year."

Chudzinski, 45, an Ohio native and lifelong fan of the Browns had never been a head coach at any level before landing his dream job Jan. 10. The former University of Miami (Fla.) tight end spent the previous nine seasons as an NFL assistant, including stints as the offensive coordinator for both the Browns and, later, the Carolina Panthers.

Cleveland may not have to look far to find Chudzinski's successor. Defensive coordinator Ray Horton will likely be a hot name once the coaching carousel presumably begins spinning in earnest Monday as several other clubs are expected to make changes.

The Browns, however, who have not won a playoff game since their rebirth in 1999, need to revitalize their offense if they are to compete. Wideout Josh Gordon is a budding star, but a consistent running game never materialized and the quarterback position was plagued by injuries and inconsistency with Brandon Weeden, Brian Hoyer and Jason Campbell all taking turns under center.

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"Our fans deserve to see a consistently competitive team. We have high standards, and there's an urgency for success. When we believed we were not positioned to achieve significant progress in 2014, we knew we had to admit that a change was needed, and move forward," the team said.

"Browns fans are the most loyal and passionate supporters in the NFL. We're fully committed to bringing them the winning football team they deserve."

Contributing: Tom Pelissero

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