Bubba Ventrone wanted to return to the Browns, where he starred as a special teams ace from 2009 through 2012. (IndyStar.com)
Browns get their man Bubba Ventrone to lead special teams
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Former Browns special teams ace Ray “Bubba” Ventrone officially is Kevin Stefanski’s new special teams coordinator.
An expedited search to replace Mike Priefer was completed in time for Ventrone to accompany the club’s contingent to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis next week. The Browns are expected to announce Ventrone’s hiring on Friday.
The Combine kicks off Monday in Indianapolis with draft-eligible linebackers the first position group available for team interviews. Linebackers traditionally form the core of special teams squads and the Browns likely will want Ventrone involved in interviews with potential newcomers to their special teams.
Ventrone, 40, has led the Indianapolis Colts special teams to a top 10 ranking in the respected Rick Gosselin rankings in four of his five seasons as their coordinator.
Priefer inherited the 30th-ranked special teams when he joined the Browns under coach Freddie Kitchens in 2019. The Browns improved to tied for 13th in Priefer’s first season. He was retained by Stefanski in 2020 and the Browns ‘teams slumped to 28th in 2020 and 30th in 2021, before rebounding to 18th in 2022.
New Colts head coach Scott Steichen reportedly wanted to keep Ventrone. The Browns might have won a tug of war for him with more money and the additional title of assistant head coach. Ventrone has stated his desire to eventually be an NFL head coach; he interviewed for the Colts’ vacancy this year that was filled by Steichen.
As a player, Ventrone was lured to the Browns in 2009 by former coach Eric Mangini after playing two seasons with the New England Patriots. Ventrone, a natural safety who entered the league as an undrafted free agent, was a Pro Bowl alternate his second year with the Browns under former special teams coordinator Brad Seeley, and then was elected team captain his last two seasons.
Following his start as a player, Ventrone returned to New England in 2015 and launched his coaching career under Bill Belichick as Patriots assistant special teams coach.
Stefanski targeted Ventrone soon as he informed Priefer on Tuesday that he would not return for the final year of his Browns contract. Besides Ventrone, the Browns interviewed Anthony Blevins, assistant special teams coach of the Giants, and Leon Washington, assistant special teams coach of the Jets.
