The Cleveland Browns today named Pat Shurmur as the 13th full-time head coach in franchise history. Shurmur’s résumé includes 23 years of coaching experience, including 12 in the NFL. In those 12 seasons, he has been a part of teams that have qualified for the playoffs seven times, won five division crowns and posted one Super Bowl appearance.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to join an organization with such a rich history and tradition as the Cleveland Browns,” Shurmur said. “I have the utmost respect for Coach Holmgren and Tom Heckert, and I am impressed with the direction in which they have this franchise going. I have known Tom for most of my pro coaching career, and while we were in Philadelphia, he and I developed an outstanding relationship. I want to thank Mike and Tom, as well as Randy Lerner, for this tremendous opportunity. I also want to thank the St. Louis Rams and Steve Spagnuolo for two terrific seasons and for giving me a chance to be a coordinator at this level. I am looking forward to this challenge and can’t wait to get started in helping to build the Browns back to one of the elite teams in the NFL.”
“I am extremely excited about having Pat Shurmur as the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns,” said Browns President Mike Holmgren. “Pat is a bright, young man who grew up in football and around the coaching profession. I came away from our interview very impressed with him as a person, his extensive knowledge of the game and his track record of success as an assistant coach in this league. Most importantly, I feel as though he possesses the necessary qualities which make him the right man to lead our football team.”
Shurmur spent the past two seasons (2009-10) as the offensive coordinator with the St. Louis Rams. He helped the Rams improve to a 7-9 record following a 1-15 season in 2009, the second-biggest turnaround in the league this past season. In 2010, he guided St. Louis’ offense to improvements in nearly every category including total yards, time of possession and third-down percentage, while they also scored 114 more points than the previous year. In addition, the Rams committed just 21 turnovers in 2010, tied for the ninth-lowest total in the NFL.
He helped shape quarterback Sam Bradford, the top pick in the 2010 draft, as Bradford set NFL rookie records for completions (354) and attempts (590), while his 3,512 passing yards were the second-most by a rookie in league history, trailing only Peyton Manning's 3,739 in 1998. Bradford's 18 touchdown passes tied for fifth-most among rookies in NFL history. During a midseason stretch, he set an NFL rookie record with 174 consecutive attempts without an interception.
Along with starting a rookie quarterback, the team’s second-round pick, Rodger Saffold, was the only NFL rookie to start all 16 games at left tackle in 2010. The Rams allowed just 34 sacks despite attempting the fifth-most passing plays in the NFL this past season, which placed the team 12th in the league in sacks per pass play.
Also under Shurmur, Rams running back Steven Jackson was selected to the NFC Pro Bowl squad both years. Jackson claimed the NFC rushing title in 2009 with 1,416 yards. Jackson’s rushing totals each of the past two seasons (1,241 in 2010) represent two of the three highest rushing figures of his seven-year NFL career.
Prior to joining the Rams, Shurmur spent 10 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2008). He served as the team’s quarterbacks coach from 2002-08 and helped Donovan McNabb to three Pro Bowl selections during his tenure. In 2008, McNabb set Eagles single-season records with 345 completions and 3,916 passing yards.
In 2004, Shurmur guided McNabb to the most productive season of his career, as he set franchise records in passer rating (104.7) and completion percentage (64.0). McNabb also became the first quarterback in NFL history with 30-plus touchdown passes (31) and fewer than 10 interceptions (8) in a single season.
During his first season as quarterbacks coach, Shurmur turned to third-string quarterback A.J. Feeley after injuries to McNabb and Koy Detmer. Despite not having started a game in three years, since his junior season at Oregon, Feeley helped the Eagles post a 4-1 record, as they won the NFC East and advanced to the NFC title game. Shurmur faced another quarterback injury in 2006 and turned to backup Jeff Garcia, who helped the club to a 5-1 record and led Philadelphia into the Divisional round of the playoffs.
Shurmur’s first three seasons in Philadelphia (1999-2001) were spent as tight ends coach, where he developed three-time Pro Bowler Chad Lewis. From 2000-01, Lewis combined for 110 receptions, 1,157 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. His reception total ranked fourth among all NFL tight ends during that two-year span, while he was tied for fourth in touchdowns and fifth in receiving yards.
Before joining the Eagles, Shurmur spent the 1998 season at Stanford University as offensive line coach. That year, the Cardinal offensive line allowed the fewest sacks per pass attempt in the Pac-10 and helped first-year quarterback Todd Husak become only the third quarterback in school history to throw for more 3,000 yards.
Prior to Stanford, Shurmur instructed the tight ends, special teams and offensive line at Michigan State University from 1990-97. The Spartans sent three tight ends (Ty Hallock, Duane Young and Mitch Lyons) to the NFL under Shurmur’s guidance, and kick returner Derrick Mason set a school career record with 2,575 return yards.
A four-year letterman at Michigan State, Shurmur earned All-Big Ten conference honors and All-America honorable mention accolades in 1987. He played guard and linebacker as a freshman and started at center the next three seasons. He served as co-captain as a senior when the Spartans defeated USC in the Rose Bowl. He earned a master’s degree in financial administration and was the first graduate student football player at the University.
A native of Dearborn, Mich., who attended Divine Child High School, Shurmur comes from a football background. His uncle, the late Fritz Shurmur, coached in the NFL for 24 years and served as the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator from 1994-98 and helped that club win two NFC Championships and Super Bowl XXXI.
Born April 14, 1965, Pat and his wife, Jennifer, have four children, daughters Allyson, Erica and Claire, and a son, Kyle.
