CLEVELAND — On Tuesday, the Cleveland Browns announced that they have fired special teams coordinator Mike Priefer.
It didn't take long for the Browns to target a potential replacement, with Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reporting that Cleveland has requested permission to interview Indianapolis Colts special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone for the same role.
Having served as the Colts' special teams coordinator since 2018, the 40-year-old Ventrone is no stranger to Cleveland. A 10-year NFL veteran as a safety and special teams standout, Ventrone played for the Browns for four seasons from 2009-2012, tallying 43 tackles, one forced fumble and two quarterback hits in 56 games.
After leaving Cleveland, where he served as the Browns' special teams captain for two seasons, the Villanova product finished his NFL career by spending two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. After retiring as a player, Ventrone rejoined the team he spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with, the New England Patriots, as an assistant special teams coach, before taking over as the Colts' special teams coordinator in 2018.
While Indianapolis doesn't necessarily need to grant Cleveland's request to interview Ventrone, the Colts' hiring of former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as their new head coach leaves the rest of the team's staff in flux. Should Ventrone ultimately return to Cleveland, he would be taking over a Browns' special teams unit looking to bounce back from an underwhelming 2022 season that saw rookie kicker Cade York make 24 of his 32 field goal attempts.