The Cleveland Browns are hiring Bubba Ventrone as their new assistant head coach/special teams coordinator, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported on Thursday, per sources.
Ventrone, who is returning to Cleveland after playing four seasons with the club, served as the Indianapolis Colts’ special teams coordinator the past five seasons and now succeeds Mike Priefer, whom the Browns dismissed on Tuesday.
The Browns and head coach Kevin Stefanski, who also interviewed Jets assistant Leon Washington for the opening, have now added a second new coordinator to their coaching staff. Cleveland previously relieved Joe Woods of his duties as defensive coordinator and replaced him with Jim Schwartz.
Despite a laundry list of struggles in a 4-12-1 campaign this past season, the Colts found success with their special teams units overall. In Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams rankings, Ventrone’s Colts checked in at No. 8. Indy was 10 spots above the Browns.