Browns hire new offensive coordinator: Ken Dorsey headed to Cleveland after Bills firing, per report

Vambo

Browns hire new offensive coordinator: Ken Dorsey headed to Cleveland after Bills firing, per report (msn.com)

Ken Dorsey has unique history with Ohio. Just over two decades ago, he was the Miami quarterback who fell to Ohio State in one of the greatest championship games in college football history. Dorsey now will be tasked with trying to help the Browns get to a place they've never been.

Dorsey is being hired as Cleveland's new offensive coordinator, according to NFL Media. He will replace Alex Van Pelt, who had held that position from 2020-23, and was fired after the Browns' playoff loss to the Texans.

Dorsey, 43, spent the last four-plus seasons as the Buffalo Bills' offensive coordinator. While the Bills' offense had success over that span, Dorsey was let go during the 2023 season following Buffalo's Week 10 loss to the Denver Broncos.

At the center of the Bills' success under Dorsey was quarterback Josh Allen, who over that span blossomed into one of the league's most dangerous players with the ball in his hands.

Dorsey called the plays in Buffalo, but that role has been Kevin Stefanski's since he became the Browns' head coach in 2024. With Stefanski calling plays, the Browns' offense has been more pass-focused. Browns fans have often been critical with Stefanski's clock management. Stefanski, though, has coached the Browns to a pair of playoff appearances that includes this past season.

After working with Allen, Dorsey will now work with Deshaun Watson, who has yet to recapture the form in Cleveland that saw him become a Pro Bowl quarterback with the Texans.

VaporTrail

Ken Dorsey. Really?

If the goal is to shut up fans/media from calling for Stefanski to stop calling plays, then this is a 10/10 hire.

TexasAg1969

He made Josh Allen into a real pro QB from a raw, inaccurate flamethrower. I'm fine with this.

tiamat63

" With Stefanski calling plays, the Browns' offense has been more pass-focused."

Only ranked outside of the top 7 in rush attempts once every single year since Stef has been head coach. Sports media is a fucking joke.

D Bone

Meh. Just a hire to replace a fire and is nothing more than a lateral move. Hopefully he can work some magic with the QB position.

Flugel

@d-bone said:

Meh. Just a hire to replace a fire and is nothing more than a lateral move. Hopefully he can work some magic with the QB position.

Agreed. I say this because Buffalo was 5-5 with him before going 6-1 without him. Josh Allen was having one of his worst seasons as a veteran player. If that's a massive upgrade over Alex Van Pelt - color me fooled...

I like our other hires though...

Dutch Oven

@flugel said:

Agreed. I say this because Buffalo was 5-5 with him before going 6-1 without him. Josh Allen was having one of his worst seasons as a veteran player. If that's a massive upgrade over Alex Van Pelt - color me fooled...

I like our other hires though...

So he was their OC starting in 2022... The Bills offense was very good, at the top of the rankings in points scored and yards gained.

But then it went downhill this year, when Allen became a turnover machine for the first ten weeks or so of the season.

Flugel

@dutch-oven said:

So he was their OC starting in 2022... The Bills offense was very good, at the top of the rankings in points scored and yards gained.

But then it went downhill this year, when Allen became a turnover machine for the first ten weeks or so of the season.

Don't confuse me.

Flugel

@dutch-oven said:

So he was their OC starting in 2022... The Bills offense was very good, at the top of the rankings in points scored and yards gained.

But then it went downhill this year, when Allen became a turnover machine for the first ten weeks or so of the season.

Okay, I just verified your points Dutch. Feeling better. In 2022, Buffalo was ranked 2nd in total yards at 397.6 yards per game. They ranked 7th in passing offense with 258.1 yards per game; and 7th in rushing offense with 139.5 yards per game; and 2nd at points scored with 28.4.

Dutch Oven

@flugel said:

Okay, I just verified your points Dutch. Feeling better. In 2022, Buffalo was ranked 2nd in total yards at 397.6 yards per game. They ranked 7th in passing offense with 258.1 yards per game; and 7th in rushing offense with 139.5 yards per game; and 2nd at points scored with 28.4.

Now, I'm not sure what exactly happened this year and how he couldn't even make it out of his second season after such a good first...

ballpeen

@tiamat63 said:

" With Stefanski calling plays, the Browns' offense has been more pass-focused."

Only ranked outside of the top 7 in rush attempts every single year since Stef has been head coach. Sports media is a fucking joke.

Thanks for the back up info. I

bbedward

I’m not gonna armchair judge stefanskis hire until I see the results of it.

Bob806

@dutch-oven said:

Now, I'm not sure what exactly happened this year and how he couldn't even make it out of his second season after such a good first...

Sean McDermott has been quoted saying (paraphrasing here) " Josh Allen's style of play is not sustainable long-term."

McD put the shackles on Allen rushing the ball, essentially eliminating his greatest skill. The Bills were basically a comedy of errors the 1st 10 weeks, losing to the Jets, Denver, & New England.

McD needed a scapegoat, so he canned Dorsey. That's how I see it. McD won't blame his defense, something he's in charge of (they have heavy $$ investment in their D line, which produced 0 sacks in 2 playoff games).

Hopefully Dorsey becomes a valuable asset here. We'll see.

nickers

@bob806 said:

Sean McDermott has been quoted saying (paraphrasing here) " Josh Allen's style of play is not sustainable long-term."

McD put the shackles on Allen rushing the ball, essentially eliminating his greatest skill. The Bills were basically a comedy of errors the 1st 10 weeks, losing to the Jets, Denver, & New England.

McD needed a scapegoat, so he canned Dorsey. That's how I see it. McD won't blame his defense, something he's in charge of (they have heavy $$ investment in their D line, which produced 0 sacks in 2 playoff games).

Hopefully Dorsey becomes a valuable asset here. We'll see.

Ken Dorsey runs a "Thinking Man's" offense.. There's a lot to digest.. Maybe it was just too complicated for Allen.. And maybe Allen is better off running a simple "Throw, Catch and Run" O more conducive to his strengths

MDDawg

@dutch-oven said:

Now, I'm not sure what exactly happened this year and how he couldn't even make it out of his second season after such a good first...

I think because he ignored the rushing attack which improved after his departure. Most advanced analytics dropped after his departure however. Funnily enough in the divisional game they still abandoned the run early in his absence which was one of his criticisms. I'm fine with the hire, after going 11-6 with this injured roster they have a pass unless they fall flat on their face next season.

syd

@nickers said:

Maybe it was just too complicated for Allen..

he had his best year ever in 22 working with Dorsey

syd

in fact so did Cam Newton honestly I do not know why people are freaking for

Orion

It appears that somebody has made a mistake here. Either Buffalo fired him and he's actually not very good...and we made the mistake. Or Buffalo knee-jerked and he IS good. I'll say this about AVP...he did the one thing that nobody else has done this century, he won us a playoff game.

syd

@orion said:

It appears that somebody has made a mistake here. Either Buffalo fired him and he's actually not very good...and we made the mistake. Or Buffalo knee-jerked and he IS good. I'll say this about AVP...he did the one thing that nobody else has done this century, he won us a playoff game.

Ken Dorsey was Josh Allen’s handpicked offensive coordinator when Brian Daboll left to become the Giants’ head coach. All he did was lead the Bills to the 2nd-ranked offense in 2022 and a top-5 offense in 2023, but he was fired midway through the season anyway. I full-throat defended Dorsey when there was buzz he might be fired and then after he was let go.

He wasn’t the problem in Buffalo and I’m very glad he’s getting a chance to run another offense.

syd

Daboll wanted to take Dorsey with him but Buffalo stepped in and gave him their O.C job