CLEVELAND -- Former Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine has been chosen as the new the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers, according to multiple media reports.
Pettine was chosen to replace longtime Packers coordinator Dom Capers, a Cambridge, Ohio native, and graduate of the University of Mount Union.
Pettine returns to the same position he held with the New York Jets (2009-2012) and Buffalo Bills (2013) before becoming the Browns’ head coach (2014-2015). Additionally, Pettine was a coaching assistant with the Baltimore Ravens (2002-2003), as well as Baltimore’s assistant defensive line coach (2004) and outside linebackers coach (2005-2008).
Pettine had a top-10 defense in each of his five seasons as a coordinator, including first (2009), third (2010), fifth (2011) and eighth-place (2012) rankings with the Jets and a 10th-place showing with the Bills in 2013.
Pettine started his head-coaching career with the Browns with a 7-4 record and had the team in sole possession of first place in the AFC North Division in mid-November for the first time ever. It was the first time in nearly 30 years that the Browns held first place in any division that late into a season.
However, as the Browns struggled to stay relevant in the AFC North Division race over the final five weeks of the 2014 regular season, they were outscored, 118-57, and fell to 7-9 after a 20-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in December of 2014.
Already with the worst-ranked defense heading into the season, the Browns dedicated money in free agency and draft picks to that side of the ball with the hope of improving, but the defensive woes continued to plague the team all throughout 2015.
Under Pettine’s direction, the Browns’ defensive mistakes repeated themselves, and coordinator Jim O’Neil said after several days of analysis during the bye week that the coaches felt there were no major scheme issues with the plays being called.
But whether it was scheme-oriented or not, the Browns allowed at least 28 points in 10 of their 16 games in 2015, and all but one of those performances were losses. The Browns surrendered an average of 26.9 points and 379.2 yards per game, and were ranked in the bottom five of the NFL in points, as well as last in rushing yards allowed for the second consecutive season.
Pettine finished his two years as Browns coach with a 10-22 record, and spent the 2016 out of football before serving as a consultant for the Seattle Seahawks in 2017.
