Grossi: 'The rest suck!' -- Why Browns must hire this next HC

Andy McNamara

•
Grossi: 'The rest suck!' -- Why Browns must hire this next HC image

ESPN Cleveland insider Tony Grossi is all in on his favorite candidate to be named the next Browns head coach. 

In a pair of viral clips from "The Really Big Show", the veteran analyst delivered a blunt ultimatum to the Browns front office--stop looking for the "next big thing" and hire the man already in the building. When asked about the current pool of candidates, Grossi didn’t mince words.

"I think the rest of the field sucks" Grossi exclaimed, dismissing the wave of young offensive coordinators currently being interviewed for the job.

USA Today Sports

More: National Championship fallout: 9 Indiana and Miami stars the Browns must draft

The Case for Jim Schwartz

For Grossi, the search begins and ends with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Under Schwartz, the Browns' defense transformed into a top-tier unit, earning the respect of the locker room.

That respect was seen from Pro Bowl CB Denzel Ward who vouched for his DC, and said this on what he wants in his next head coach."We need someone to hold guys to a higher standard," Ward told reporters. "We didn't play complementary football... We need someone who is going to hold people accountable when they aren't doing what they're supposed to do."

Grossi argues that Schwartz brings a level of "assertiveness and accountability" that a 30-year-old "offensive genius" simply can't provide.

The Reality Check

Grossi isn't wearing rose-colored glasses, however. He acknowledged a hard truth that Schwartz hasn't been a head coach in over a decade. His tenure as Lions sideline boss ended in 2013, finishing with a 29-52 record.

"History says after that much time away, your chances at being successful are limited," Grossi admitted. "But in this field? He’s still the best option."

Grossi’s logic is simple. While Schwartz is a "known" risk, the alternative of handing the keys to an unproven coordinator like Grant Udinski or Nate Scheelhaase, is a gamble the Browns shouldn't take.

The Bottom Line

For a franchise in rebuilding mode, Grossi believes the Browns need a "disciplinarian" who has seen it all. Even if his second act is a long shot, Grossi is betting on the resume of Schwartz over the "rest of the field".

More Browns News:

Contributing Writer