BEREA, Ohio — Mike Holmgren, a Super Bowl-winning coach, accepted the job to become the Browns’ president, joining a struggling franchise needing a major makeover after a decade of losing.
Browns owner Randy Lerner said the sides reached an agreement Monday. Lerner said current president Mike Keenan will become the team’s chief financial officer.
“We will spend the rest of the week finalizing the details of the agreement and will make a formal announcement next week,” Lerner said in a statement.
Holmgren is coming to Cleveland strictly in an executive role.
Not long before announcing Holmgren’s hiring, the Browns were informed that former GM George Kokinis had filed arbitration with the NFL claiming he was unjustly fired. Kokinis was dismissed on Nov. 2 after just nine months on the job.
Drive doesn’t elevate Russell
ALAMEDA, Calif. — A day after Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell threw the decisive touchdown pass with 35 seconds left in a 20-19 victory over the Broncos in Denver, coach Tom Cable said he would wait until Wednesday to announce his starting quarterback for this weekend’s game in Cleveland.
Bruce Gradkowski would get the nod if he has recovered from his two sprained knees, and Charlie Frye would be next up assuming he gets over the concussion that knocked him out Sunday and gave Russell the chance to lead the comeback.
Footnotes.
The Ravens must continue their playoff push without rookie cornerback Lardarius Webb, who will miss the remainder of the season because of a torn ACL in his right knee.
• The Titans lost two starting defenders to season-ending injuries, with top tackler Keith Bulluck out with a torn left ACL and linebacker David Thornton having surgery to repair his shoulder and pectoral muscle. The Titans signed LB Jamie Winborn to a two-year deal.
• The Steelers said wide receiver Limas Sweed (nonfootball illness list) and long snapper Greg Warren (torn ACL in his right knee) will miss the rest of the season.
• Seahawks long snapper Kevin Houser is hoping to be out of a hospital in time for Christmas Eve after doctors reinflated his collapsed lung. Houser got hurt while covering a punt in the second quarter Sunday against Tampa Bay.
• Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye will miss the rest of the season because of a fracture in his lower left leg. He leads the team with 6 1/2 sacks.
• The Cowboys cut place-kicker Nick Folk and replaced him with Shaun Suisham, a former Cowboy. Suisham kicked for Dallas in the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz has not ruled out rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford from returning Sunday against San Francisco after missing two games with a shoulder injury. Schwartz said he hopes to decide on a starter by Wednesday.
• The Rams lost two more players to injuries, cornerback Quincy Butler (left knee sprain and a high ankle sprain) and tight end Daniel Fells (fractured right thigh bone).
• Buccaneers rookie receiver Sammie Stroughter will miss the remainder of the season after breaking his right foot during Tampa Bay’s road victory over the Seahawks.
• The Bengals chartered a flight to New Orleans to attend Chris Henry’s funeral today. The veteran receiver died from injuries last Thursday in North Carolina, a day after he fell out of the back of a pickup truck.
The Associated Press
