Mike Pettine Spent 7 Seasons in Baltimore
Former Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine spent 7 seasons in Baltimore as an assistant to Brian Billick and later, John Harbaugh. Could he return to the Ravens sideline? Press play for more or read the transcript below.
The timing of this blog might be a little off in light of the fact that it is alleged that the Cleveland Browns covered up that Johnny Manziel showed up to practice drunk on a Wednesday before a game and disguised it up by saying he was under concussion protocol.
That all being said despite a short and mostly unsuccessful stint with the Cleveland Browns, their former Head Coach Mike Pettine is looking for work.
Pettine got his NFL career started with the Ravens as an A/V guy for Brian Billick and worked his way up to linebackers coach. Pettine was a former college quarterback and assistant coach. He is also the son of a famous high school football coach. The game is in his blood.
Many don’t know he was the right hand man of Rex Ryan in Baltimore during Ryan’s successful stint as Defensive Coordinator. He was part of the creative defensive genius that Ryan was credited for.
Ryan stayed on a year despite being passed over for the head-coaching job by John Harbaugh. A year later Ryan then took the head job with the Jets and Mike followed to be his D-coordinator. Pettine told me he would have loved to stay in Baltimore but Rex’s hurt feelings and loyalty came into play and it was probably best they all went their own way.
The Jets had back-to-back runs to the AFC Championship game thanks to the defense. Pettine and Ryan eventually had a falling out partially because Pettine was tired of not being able to get his chance to call the defense that he coordinated. Mike had a great one-year stint with the Buffalo Bills as Defensive Coordinator (ranked 10th on a team with little offense) before taking the Browns job.
Pettine is excellent with the players as a teacher and motivator and most importantly knows the Ravens system. It’s clear the Ravens need to restore the once luster that the defense held in the league. Pettine needs to land in a place where he can build his name again and what better place to do that than here. Who knows how much longer Dean Pees has left?
Yes I know they hired Leslie Frazier to be secondary coach and a potential future successor to Pees. It doesn’t matter. Pettine could also be that guy. Who better to help restore the Ravens D and swagger than a man whose last year on the Ravens coaching staff included a run to the AFC Championship Game thanks in part to…a great defense.
It’s your move Ravens.
