Pat Shurmur
Pat Shurmur was named the 13th full-time head coach in Browns history on January 13, 2011. Shurmur’s résumé includes 23 years of coaching experience, including 12 in the NFL. In those 12 seasons, he has been a part of teams that have qualified for the playoffs seven times, won five division crowns and posted one Super Bowl appearance. Prior coming to the Browns, Shurmur spent the previous two seasons (2009-10) as the offensive coordinator with the St. Louis Rams. He helped the Rams improve to a 7-9 record following a 1-15season in 2009, the second-biggest turnaround in the league last year. In 2010, he guided St. Louis’ offense to improvements in nearly every category including total yards, time of possession and third-down percentage, while they also scored 114 more points than the previous year. In addition, the Rams committed just 21 turnovers in 2010, tied for the ninth-lowest total in the NFL. Shurmur helped mold quarterback Sam Bradford, the top pick in the 2010 draft, as Bradford set NFL rookie records for completions (354) and attempts (590), while his 3,512 passing yards were the second-most by a rookie in league history, trailing only Peyton Manning's 3,739 in 1998. Bradford's 18 touchdown passes tied for fifth-most among rookies in NFL history. During a midseason stretch, he set an NFL rookie record with 174 consecutive attempts without an interception. Along with starting a rookie quarterback, the team’s second-round pick, Rodger Saffold, was the only NFL rookie to start all 16 games at left tackle in 2010. The Rams allowed just 34 sacks despite attempting the fifth-most passing plays in the NFL last season, which placed the team 12th in the league in sacks per pass play. In addition, Rams running back Steven Jackson was selected to the NFC Pro Bowl squad both years under Shurmur. Jackson claimed the NFC rushing title in 2009 with 1,416 yards, and his rushing totals each of the past two seasons (1,241 in 2010) represent two of the three highest rushingfigures of his seven-year NFL career. Before joining the Rams, Shurmur spent 10 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2008). He served as the team’s quarterbacks coach from 2002-08 and helped Donovan McNabb to three Pro Bowl selections during his tenure. In 2008, McNabb set Eagles single-season records with 345 completions and 3,916 passing yards. In 2004, Shurmur guided McNabb to the most productive season of his career, as he set franchise records in passer rating (104.7) and completion percentage (64.0). McNabb also became the first quarterback in NFL history with 30-plus touchdown passes (31) and fewer than 10 interceptions (8) in a single season. During his first season as quarterbacks coach, Shurmur turned to third-string quarterback A.J. Feeley following injuries to McNabb and Koy Detmer. Despite not having started a game in three years, since his junior season at Oregon, Feeley helped the Eagles post a 4-1 record, as they won the NFC East and advanced to the NFC title game. Shurmur faced another quarterback injury in2006 and turned to backup Jeff Garcia, who helped the club to a 5-1 record and led Philadelphia into the Divisional round of the playoffs. Shurmur’s first three seasons in Philadelphia (1999-2001) were spent as tight ends coach, where he developed three-time Pro Bowler Chad Lewis. From 2000-01, Lewis combined for 110 receptions, 1,157 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Hisreception total ranked fourth among all NFL tight ends during that two-year span, while he was tied for fourth in touchdowns and fifth in receiving yards. Before joining the Eagles, Shurmur spent the 1998 season at Stanford University asoffensive line coach. That year, the Cardinal offensive line allowed the fewest sacks per pass attempt in the Pac-10 and helped first-year quarterback ToddHusak become only the third quarterback in school history to throw for more than 3,000 yards. Prior to Stanford, Shurmur instructed the tight ends, special teams and offensiveline at Michigan State University from 1990-97. The Spartans sent three tight ends (Ty Hallock, Duane Young and Mitch Lyons) to the NFL under Shurmur’s guidance, and kick returner Derrick Mason set a school career record with 2,575 return yards. Afour-year letterman at Michigan State, Shurmur earned All-Big Ten conference honors and All-America honorable mention accolades as a senior in 1987. He played guard and linebacker as a freshman and started at center the next three seasons. He served as co-captain as a senior when the Spartans defeated USC in the Rose Bowl. He earned a master’s degree in financial administration and was the first graduate student football player at the University. Anative of Dearborn, Mich., who attended Divine Child High School, Shurmur comes from a football background. His uncle, the late Fritz Shurmur, coached in the NFL for 24 years and served as the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator from 1994-98, helping that club win two NFC Championships and Super Bowl XXXI. Shurmur and his wife, Jennifer, have four children, daughters Allyson, Erica and Claire, and a son, Kyle.
