According to Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports on Twitter, the Cleveland Browns will include Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and Montreal Alouettes head coach Marc Trestman in their head-coaching search after pulling out of the pursuit for Oregon Ducks head coach Chip Kelly.
Arians, who missed the Sunday AFC Wild Card game against the Baltimore Ravens while in the hospital due to a bad reaction to medicine he was taking for the flu, is also being considered for the vacant head-coaching positions in San Diego, Chicago and Philadelphia as well.
The Pittsburgh Steelers former offensive coordinator held that same position with the Browns from 2001-2003. Many will remember that it was 10 years ago Saturday that the Browns almost beat the Steelers in the AFC Wild Card at Heinz Field behind the 429 yard passing performance of quarterback Kelly Holcomb.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported Sunday on Twitter that new Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who was a limited ownership partner with the Steelers before running off to Cleveland, reportedly likes Arians.
Haslam also stated back when he took over majority ownership of the Browns that he wanted to model the franchise after Pittsburgh and the Rooney Family ownership.
While Arians is far from a lock to get the job, it would be very interesting if did. He certainly would like nothing better than to get an opportunity to go up against the Steelers and prove to them that it was a mistake to run him out of town.
The Browns have a young nucleus of players right now on offense that includes quarterback Brandon Weeden, running back Trent Richardson and a very capable offensive line. They also have two young wide receivers in the form of Josh Gordon and Greg Little. Whether or not this is a group of players that can be formed into winners by any new coach, let alone Arians, is yet to be seen.
Now that the Browns are out of the chase for Kelly they are likely to move forward pretty quick in making a decision. Will Arians be their selection? We should know the answer to that question pretty soon.
