The Cleveland Browns made some sweeping changes to the offensive coaching staff this week, and run game coordinator/running backs coach Stump Mitchell got caught in the shift.
Cleveland fired Mitchell, along with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, and made the decision not to retain tight ends coach T.C. McCartney on Wednesday, January 17, per Josina Anderson of CBS Sports. On Thursday, Mitchell filed an official statement of response, in which he thanked the ownership group, general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski. Mitchell then addressed the players he’s coached along the way, including those remaining on the roster.
I want to express my sincere thanks to the players and running backs who donned the Browns helmet, giving their all to achieve success on Game Day. I devoted my efforts to maximize your hard work and talent, and it has been a rewarding journey.
The Browns organization played a pivotal role in embracing my vision of incorporating the Bill Willis Diversity Coaching Fellowship into their framework. Over the past three years, this program has provided opportunities for three young Black coaches, starting with Ashton Grant, followed by Israel Woolfork, now serving as the Quarterback coach for the Arizona Cardinals, and Nemo Washington.
Above all, I am deeply grateful for the unwavering support of my family and my love for the dedicated and hard-working fans of Ohio, particularly the Browns Backers. Your support is truly appreciated. I look forward to the next phase of my coaching career
Stump Mitchell Has Been NFL Coach for 20 Years, Including Last 5 Years for Browns
Mitchell played running back in the NFL for 10 years between 1981-89 for the Cardinals, first in St. Louis for eight seasons and then in Phoenix for his final two, per Pro Football Reference.
He has spent double that time as a coach in the NFL, including nine years with the Seattle Seahawks where he began that phase of his career in 1999. Mitchell then spent two years with the franchise now known as the Washington Commanders, per Pro Football History.
He was out of professional football for the next three seasons before catching on as the Arizona Cardinals running backs coach in 2013. Mitchell stayed in the desert for three seasons before accepting the same position with the New York Jets. He was in New York between 2017-18, joining the Browns in 2019 as the running backs coach/run game coordinator and remaining in Cleveland until the team let him go on Wednesday.
Nick Chubb Potential Salary Cap Casualty as Browns Enter Offseason
The organization’s decision to part with Mitchell is curious for several reasons. The first is that the offense was stellar since the arrival of Joe Flacco, yet it was the offense that the team decided to overhaul.
The running game specifically has been of the utmost quality since Mitchell’s arrival in 2019. A big part of that is that his tenure in Cleveland began one year after the Browns drafted Nick Chubb.
Chubb earned trips to four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2019-22 after the team selected him in the second round (No. 35 overall) ahead of the 2018 season. Chubb suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, leaving second-year running back Jerome Ford as the starter.
Ford excelled in that role, finishing the year with 813 rushing yards and 4 rushing TDs as well as 44 catches for 319 yards and 5 scores, per Pro Football Reference.
The combination of Ford’s success and Mitchell’s firing, along with the fact that Chubb is entering the final season of a three-year, $36.6 million deal in 2024 with a salary cap hit north of $15.8 million, lends credence to the notion that Chubb is among the team’s top candidates to become a salary cap casualty this offseason.
The Browns are currently almost $14 million in the red on next season’s cap sheet and can save more than $11.8 million by cutting or trading Chubb in the coming months.
