CLEVELAND — Tommy Rees has transitioned from his early days as a ball boy for the Browns to now taking charge of their offensive strategy as the newly appointed offensive coordinator. This change follows the dismissal of Ken Dorsey after a tough season where Cleveland finished with a record of 3-14, underperforming with an average of just 15.2 points per game, the lowest in the league.
Rees, who previously served as the tight ends coach for the Browns, has an impressive background, having worked with notable figures like Mike Vrabel, recently named the head coach for New England. Rees had been anticipated to accompany Vrabel to the Patriots, but Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski decided to promote him to offensive coordinator after indicating on January 6 that he would consider promoting from within.
“Tommy possesses a remarkable understanding of football,” stated Stefanski. “He’s incredibly intelligent and has been immersed in the game since childhood. Before his tenure with our organization, he was recognized as one of the top assistant coaches in college football. He adeptly transitioned to our tight end group and contributed significantly to our passing game last season.”
Stefanski also met with several other potential candidates, including Klint Kubiak from the New Orleans Saints and Darrell Bevell from the Miami Dolphins.
At just 32 years old, Rees is emerging as a promising talent in NFL coaching circles, being the first to interview with Stefanski after Dorsey’s firing following the final game of the season in Baltimore. Rees has strong connections to Cleveland; he worked as a ball boy in his youth while his father, Bill, was the team’s director of player personnel.
Stefanski’s existing rapport with Rees likely factored into the decision to promote him. With Rees already familiar with the offensive system, there’s a possibility that Stefanski may take back play-calling responsibilities, which he relinquished to Dorsey during last season.
Rees brings valuable experience from his time as a quarterback at Notre Dame and a year spent on Nick Saban’s coaching staff at Alabama. He previously served as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Notre Dame from 2020 to 2022.
The Browns did allow Rees to interview for the North Carolina head coaching position, but the job ultimately went to veteran coach Bill Belichick.
Last season, Rees faced several challenges with the tight end group. Key player David Njoku struggled to replicate his Pro Bowl performance due to injuries, concluding the season with 64 receptions for 505 yards, averaging just 7.9 yards per catch, a significant drop.
“Despite the injury struggles, Tommy managed the tight end group exceptionally well and consistently kept his players prepared for games, even when they had limited time with the team,” Stefanski commented. “Innovation is vital in offensive planning, and Tommy excels in this area. Our goal is to develop an efficient and dynamic offense that will score points, and I’m eager to collaborate with Tommy to transform the Browns’ offense for the upcoming season.”
With Rees now in his role, the Browns can focus on improving an offense that ranked among the poorest in the league the previous year. Dorsey was brought on board to revamp the offensive scheme to better suit quarterback Deshaun Watson’s abilities. However, Watson struggled significantly, finishing with a record of 1-6 before suffering a rupture of his Achilles tendon in October.
Recently, the Browns announced Watson re-injured his Achilles and will likely be sidelined for a substantial period in the coming season. In light of these developments, Cleveland is expected to explore options in veteran quarterbacks during free agency and may also consider using their No. 2 draft pick to select a new quarterback.
