When the Cleveland Browns fired offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt in January, it was a dramatic and sudden move. The rationale for such choice has emerged many weeks later.
On Friday, February 2, Albert Breer from Sports Illustrated said on the Boston-based “Zolak and Bertrand Show.” Van Pelt will take over as the New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator going forward.
Breer brought Cleveland two news items of significant importance during the radio hit. The first was that Deshaun Watson’s lack of improvement over the previous two years was the main factor in the front office’s decision to fire Van Pelt. The second was that, given Van Pelt’s crucial position within the team, the coaching staff members “were floored” by the decision.
Deshaun Watson’s improvement has been frustrating for ownership and [chief strategy officer] Paul DePodesta, not head coach Kevin Stefanski, which is why he was let go in Cleveland. I don’t think the decision-makers truly understood how valuable Van Pelt was to that crew. When they fired him for two reasons, the other staff members were completely taken aback.
First things first: after 11 games with four different quarterbacks, your fourth and fifth tackles, and without Nick Chubb, how can you remove the offensive coordinator?
But the true secret is the second reason. He served as the staff’s glue. If you know [Stefanski], you know he’s a lovely guy, but he’s not the gregarious kind. He has a rather arid personality. Despite his seeming gregariousness, he has an excellent sense of humor. When guys were coming in and going out, Alex was the one who kept the crew together. He’s a man that brought everyone in the building together.
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