Cleveland Browns' Kyle Shanahan will consider lateral move

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Cleveland Browns' Kyle Shanahan will consider lateral move because of friction between coaches and front office, sources say


Kyle Shanahan on Johnny Manziel’s performance and future for the BrownsCleveland Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan talks about Johnny Manziel's disasterous NFL debut and what he thinks the future holds for the mobile quarterback. "Johnny's a real impressive guy," Shanahan says.
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By Mary Kay Cabot, Northeast Ohio Media Group
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on January 06, 2015 at 6:25 PM, updated January 07, 2015 at 7:28 AM



CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will consider leaving Cleveland -- even for a lateral move -- because of friction between some of the coaches and some in the front office, multiple league sources have told cleveland.com.

Shanahan will interview Thursday morning for the Bills head coaching vacancy, and it's his ultimate goal to become a head coach. But he also might have an opportunity to be reunited with his father Mike, which is enticing to him. Kyle worked under Mike for four seasons in Washington before they were let go after the 2013 season.

Three teams are interested in possibly hiring Mike Shanahan as head coach and Kyle as offensive coordinator, sources said. They are the 49ers, Raiders and Bills. Mike Shanahan has interviewed with those teams and will also interview with the Chicago Bears.

Kyle Shanahan was eager to strike out on his own again, but landed in a situation that has become dysfunctional for him, the sources said. The biggest problem, they say is that the personnel side and coaches aren't seeing eye to eye on some key issues. One source said some coaches became upset when a high-ranking personnel member texted from the press box to the sidelines about play calls.

The coaches also may have felt pressure to start Johnny Manziel in the biggest game of the season, with the playoffs on the line. No mandate was given from the front office, but some staffers felt that the higher-ups wanted to see what their No. 22 overall pick could do. Shanahan did his best to bring Manziel up to speed, but it was evident he wasn't ready to play when he started against the Bengals, and flopped miserably.

Now, it appears that general manager Ray Farmer is willing to give Manziel another shot next year, and not everyone in the building is in agreement that the former Heisman Trophy winner has what it takes to succeed. Browns coach Mike Pettine has said the quarterback situation is "muddy at best'' and that the Browns will leave no stone unturned in their bid to fix it.

Shanahan is receiving head coaching interest this year because of the job he did with an offense that had major issues. He lost all three of his Pro Bowlers for much of the season in center Alex Mack, receiver Josh Gordon and tight end Jordan Cameron.

Still, Shanahan helped the Browns climb to the top of the AFC North after their 24-3 rout of the Bengals. At one point, he had quarterback Brian Hoyer in the top 10, and the offense was ranked No. 14 overall as late as week 11.

"(Becoming a head coach) has always been my goal,'' Shanahan said in October. "About 95 percent of coaches, if you ask them, that's eventually their goal. Everyone wants to be at the top of their profession, and head coach is the top of our profession.''

The climate, however, is such that Shanahan might be willing to leave even if he doesn't get a head coaching job. What's more, he's excited about the idea of trying to win a Super Bowl with his father and finishing the job they started in Washington.

The Browns would have to let him out of his contract in order for him to make a lateral move. Not even the additional title of assistant head coach would be enough for the Browns to have to let him go.

Shanahan, who's been an offensive coordinator for seven seasons, worked under Mike in Washington from 2010-2013, where the two led the Redskins' offense to a top 10 finish in 2013. Quarterback Robert Griffin III also enjoyed his finest season in Washington under the Shanahans, and running back Alfred Morris rushed for more than 1,200 yards in each of his first two seasons.

Shanahan looked forward to stepping out his father's shadow in Cleveland and re-establishing himself as a top coordinator in his own right. But if Mike takes a head job and wants to hire Kyle, it's a good bet he'll ask the Browns to let him go.

At that point, they'd likely have no choice but to accommodate him, considering it's the top offensive position on the club. If he doesn't want to be here, the Browns are unlikely to force him to stay.