The heart and soul of this offense used to be the line
It was just two short years ago that the Cleveland Browns offensive line was ranked as one of the best units in the league.
This past year, if you look at the stat page, it would appear that Cleveland got rid of everybody from that prestigious group and hired a bunch of new guys. But if you look, it is basically the same guys. Well mostly. Take out LT Jed Wills and insert any number of replacements – James Hudson, Dawand Jones, Germain Ifedi – and the same jersey nameplates are the same.
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There is one other substitution, though. And it’s a big one. Offensive line coach Bill Callahan left to assist his son Brian who had been named the head ball coach of the Tennessee Titans. The senior Callahan is known as the league’s best offensive line coach. And suddenly, he was gone.
Cleveland hired Andy Dickerson in his place. His tenure lasted exactly one season as he was fired the day after the final game, a 35-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Now comes word that Cleveland has hired their new offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren. Who is he? What does he bring to the Browns?
Beginnings
Bloomgren grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, which is home to both the Florida State Seminoles and the Florida A&M Rattlers. So, college football was at the center of everyone who lives in this Northern Florida city.
He played tight end and ended up playing football at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri, a private Christian liberal arts institution. After two seasons, he transferred to Florida State where he earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management with a minor in business. He graduated magna cum laude. It was at FSU that he had his first coaching experience as an undergraduate assistant to the linebackers.
After graduation, he was hired as a graduate assistant at the University of Alabama in 1999 under head coach Mike DuBose. At the same time, Bloomgren took courses and earned his master’s degree in higher education administration. He graduated with a 4.0 GPA.
From 2002-2005, he was the co-offensive coordinator, offensive line, and special teams coach with Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina. This experience enabled him to get an offensive coordinator position at Delta State University. He had this job from 2005-2007. He left Delta State to accept an assistant job at Texas A&M, but after three weeks left the Texas school.
The NFL called. He accepted.
Bloomgren became the offensive quality control coach for the New York Jets. He had become friends with Bill Callahan who was then the head coach at Nebraska. When Callahan was hired as the assistant head coach/OL coach with the Jets, he recommended Bloomgren for head coach Eric Mangini’s staff.
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When Mangini was fired and Rex Ryan took over, normally all of the existing coaches get canned as well. But Ryan retained Bloomgren and he moved into an offensive assistant role in 2009. The following season he was again elevated to the assistant offensive coordinator.
But Bloomgren did not remain in New York. In 2011, he was hired at Stanford to be their running game coordinator and offensive line coach which he held for two seasons. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2013. He coached Andrew Luck and Christian McCaffrey who would each become Heisman finalists.
Bloomgren was in good company. His agent is Jimmy Sexton who represents Nick Saban and Kirby Smart.
The success that Stanford had while Bloomgren ran the offense enabled him to get his first head coaching job when Rice University offered him the head job to begin the 2018 season. He took over a roster that had gone 1-11-0 the season before.
His seasons at Rice are as follows:
2018: 2-11-0
2019: 3-9-0
2020: 2-3-0
2021: 4-8-0
2022: 5-8-0
2023: 6-7-0
2024: 4-8-0
During his tenure at Rice, the football team played in two bowl games, losing both.
Bloomgren has worked in a number of pro-style offenses with different college teams especially at Stanford. He has proven to be successful as a teacher and motivator, which will be vital for Cleveland’s offensive line group.
“I am excited about joining this organization. From the Haslams to the alignment with Andrew (Berry) and Kevin, I think it’s an exciting time to be here. The commitment that they all have to making this place great, and making another playoff run, is everything I want to be a part of. I think as a coach, we exist for the players and that’s always going to be the case. I also think it’s our job to give them clear direction of how to do things. I know there’s a Hall of Fame player here in Joel Bitonio. I think there are some really good pieces, and we have to see exactly how they can fit and see exactly how this offense gets formed, but I am excited about the potential with that group.”
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The Browns have three players in this group who have been to multiple Pro Bowls and been voted NFL All-Pro. Jones made the NFL All-Rookie Team. So, the core group is still around.
There are others from the room that most likely won’t return for 2025. It is very probable that an offensive tackle will be drafted within the first three rounds this year, and a guard or center will become targeted in the later rounds.
Bloomgren takes over a group that has the talent, was highly ranked just a few short seasons ago, and now has given up the second most sacks in the league (66) in 2024.