Cleveland Browns Face a Familiar Face on Sunday

The Cleveland Browns will host the Houston Texans on Sunday, doing so they will be going up against a familiar face to the teams past. No one on the current roster, or really anyone within the organization was apart of, but Romeo Crennel was once the head of the Browns. Serving as the defensive coordinator in 2000, then coming back in 2005 where he was the head coach until 2008.

Overall, Crennel was 24-40 as the head coach in Cleveland. The losses piled up in losing seasons during 2005, 2006 and 2008 when he was fired after a 4-12 season. In the midst of that time Crennel coached the 2007 team to a 10-6 record, in which they still missed the playoffs. As a head coach in the NFL Crennel is 30-57.

After being fired in Cleveland he made his way back into the league in 2010 as the defensive coordinator in Kansas City. Crennel spent part of the 2011 season and then 2012 as the teams head coach after they fired Todd Haley. During the 2012 season Crennel witnessed the suicide of Jovan Belcher when he tried to talk him out of it, in the end it did not work. Less than a month later the Chiefs fired Crennel after the losing season.

It seems in 2014 that Romeo Crennel finally found some stability. The teams defensive coordinator up until this year when he was listed as the assistant head coach. A month ago the Texans fired Bill O’Brien and Crennel was promoted to interim head coach for the team. Since taking over the Texans are 2-2 and have been playing some better football. It remains to be seen if Crennel is just a placeholder or he will hold onto that coaching position, it looks like he surely has a shot with his start.

Crennel’s career did not get started in Northeast Ohio, but it is his most memorable head coaching position. Sunday Crennel will be making a return to First Energy Stadium. The 2007 season led be Crennel remains Cleveland’s best record over the last 20+ years.