A few days before Jim O’Neil’s time with the Browns expired, the defensive coordinator expressed confidence he would receive another opportunity to prove himself in the NFL.
He was right.
O’Neil has been hired as the new defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, CSNBayArea.com reported Tuesday.
“If they want me here, I’ll be here,” O’Neil said three days before Browns owner Jimmy Haslam fired coach Mike Pettine on Jan. 3. “I’ll give it everything I have. If they don’t, I’ll go somewhere else, be successful and give it everything I have. That’s just who I am.”
49ers coach Chip Kelly will give O’Neil, 37, a shot despite his defense falling incredibly short of expectations this past season.
In 2015, the Browns ranked 29th in points allowed (27 per game) and 27th in defense (379.2 yards surrendered a game), 22nd against the pass (250.8) and 30th against the run (128.4).
In 2014, O’Neil’s first season with the Browns, they ranked ninth in points allowed (21.1) and 23rd in defense (366.1), eighth against the pass (224.5) and 32nd against the run (141.6).
Kelly has made a habit of hiring former Browns coaches as coordinators.
Pat Shurmur, head coach of the Browns from 2011-12, was the offensive coordinator and Bill Davis, a former linebackers coach in Cleveland, was the defensive coordinator during Kelly’s tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles.
New Browns coach Hue Jackson hired Ray Horton to replace O’Neil.
In San Francisco, O’Neil will replace former Browns coach Eric Mangini.
Search continues
The Browns interviewed Brian Xanders on Tuesday as part of their quest for a vice president of player personnel who’ll serve as a chief talent evaluator and assemble the draft board, Cleveland.com reported.
Xanders, 44, is a senior personnel executive for the Detroit Lions. He was the general manager of the Denver Broncos from 2009-12.
Other candidates who have reportedly interviewed for the position are ex-Lions GM Martin Mayhew and former Miami Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey.
Browns head of football operations Sashi Brown told the website Haslam interviewed two candidates for the job Tuesday at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Haslam left later Tuesday, and he’s scheduled to attend the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards on Thursday night.
More partying
Embattled quarterback Johnny Manziel’s days with the Browns are likely numbered, but apparently evidence of his partying isn’t going to disappear from the Internet anytime soon.
BustedCoverage.com posted a series of videos and photographs showing Manziel partying Sunday at a bar in Dallas. A close-up photo shows him drinking what appears to be a shot of alcohol.
Before Pettine was fired, he said members of the Browns wanted Manziel, 23, to get his off-field issues addressed this offseason. Manziel spent more than 10 weeks last year in an inpatient rehabilitation facility specializing in alcohol and drug addiction treatment.
Coaching additions
The Browns have hired Ken Delgado as an assistant defensive line coach and Cannon Matthews as an assistant defensive backs coach, ESPN reported.
Delgado was the defensive ends coach at Western Kentucky University. Matthews was a defensive quality control coach with the Tennessee Titans.