Analysis: Does Crennel deserve to be the fall guy?
by Mary Kay Cabot
Saturday December 20, 2008, 7:08 PM
Browns coach Romeo Crennel, who received an extension just 11 months ago and is coming off a 10-6 season, mostly likely will take the fall for this horrible season despite the fact much of it was out of his control.
Fortunately for Crennel, he's got so much respect and support around the league that he'll have no trouble finding work if he wants it right away. Coaches such as the Jets' Eric Mangini, New England's Bill Belichick and the Giants' Tom Coughlin all would jump at the chance to hire him. Any of them would tell you that his 24-38 record -- including 4-10 so far this season -- wasn't a true measure of what he could've done, given the right circumstances.
"Romeo Crennel is a rock solid man," said Coughlin. "He's an excellent football coach and an even better person. He's an extremely stable, solid person. He's got both feet on the ground and his values in place. He's a very, very good football coach and an excellent person."
Added Mangini: "I've worked with Romeo for a long time and in a lot of different contexts. One thing that has always been consistent is that he is incredibly well-prepared. He's incredibly passionate and disciplined. He understands what it takes to be successful."
Also, with a dozen or so head coaches on the hot seat or retiring, he might even get some interviews for another top job. "His age [61] might work against him, but people know he can coach," said one league source. "It's evident his players love him. Look at the success Bill Belichick had after supposedly failing in Cleveland."
Those close to Crennel, who know the inner workings of the Browns, find it ludicrous that the Browns would fire him and not Browns General Manager Phil Savage, who supplied the players and either hired the assistants or encouraged Crennel to do so.
"Anybody with a brain knows that Phil and Romeo were in this together," said Crennel's agent, Joe Linta. "To do something with Romeo and not Phil wouldn't make any sense."
To Crennel's credit, he's taken the blame all season and hasn't mentioned the extenuating circumstances. But there have been plenty, including talent, staff and injuries. A look at those things, according to interviews with multiple league sources:
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