Kyle Shanahan named as the Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator

It didn't take former Washington redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan to land on his feet.

After a stint in Washington where he was often criticized, Shanahan was named the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns. 

Shanahan will direct the offense under new head coach Mike Pettine.

In 6 seasons as a coordinator, Shanahan’s offenses have finished in the top 10 in yardage 4 times and top 10 in scoring twice.

As a coordinator, he has had some marginal success working with a variety of quarterbacks including Robert Griffin III, Rex Grossman and Donovan McNabb with the Redskins as well as Matt Schaub with the Houston Texans. In his 4 seasons working in Washington Shanahan reportedly clashed with McNabb and Griffin.

Shanahan wil have his work cut out for him as the Browns' offense was offensive last season as the team finished 27th in points scored and 28th in rushing. The Browns have a major decision at quarterback. They must figure out whether Brian Hoyer is the answer since he was playing well before a knee injury or try to salvage former first round pick Brandon Weeden. Backup Jason Campbell also took first team snaps as well.

Most expect the Browns to select a quarterback with the fourth pick in the NFL Draft. The team has been rumored to high on Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel. Whoever ends up being the signal caller in Cleveland will have Josh Gordon to throw to who had a breakout year.

Report: Kyle Shanahan to leave Redskins, split from his dad

It's always a a nice, warm story when a father and son team up as coaches and try to make it to the mountaintop. That's how some might have thought when Kyle Shanahan became the offensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins and join his dad Mike on the sidelines.

Apparently the arrangement will be coming to an end.

The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Shanahan has “decided it is no longer worth it to work with his father” and will attempt to blaze his own trail after four years with the Redskins.Shanahan spent two seasons as offensive coordinator of the Houston Texans before joining the Redskins in 2010.

This latest look into Washington’s implosion came shortly after CBS’ Jason La Canfora reported that many within the organization actually pin much of the blame for this 3-10 season on Kyle Shanahan’s relationships with Mike Shanahan and Robert Griffin III.

Conversations with several people within the organization have revealed a similar perception of Kyle Shanahan as someone who was empowered and enabled by his father, spending an abundance of time in his father's office, given a wide swath of power, and rubbing many people -- players, fellow coaches and members of football operations -- the wrong way. At the same time, Kyle Shanahan has been the most heavily rewarded of the team's assistant coaches, as team sources said the two-year extension Shanahan earned following the playoff run in 2012 will pay him $1.5M in 2014 alone. That's money he's almost certain to collect away from the team, with this regime widely expected to be fired after this season.

“Kyle is the head coach, it's just that no one knows he is,” said one member of the organization. “He gets whatever he wants. And he has no relationship at all with (quarterback Robert Griffin II). So how could it work?”

Although this is a surprise, Kyle wasn't pleased when starting quarterback, Robert Griffin III, was shutdown for the last three games of the season in favor of Kirk Cousins.

Kyle had a decent run in Houston so it's possible that he could co elsewhere and succeed, but he'll have to do it without any of his father's connections (Gary Kubiak in Houston).