Butch Davis is on the verge of being fired as coach of the Cleveland Browns, league and team sources said Monday. Davis' job status was the subject of discussion Sunday night by Browns owner Randy Lerner after the team lost 10-7 to the New York Jets earlier in the day, the sources said. It was the fourth straight defeat for Cleveland (3-7).
Lerner contemplated dismissing Davis on Monday but decided to give the Browns another week to show signs of life. The Browns play the Bengals in Cincinnati on Sunday, and the sources agreed that a defeat likely would result in the coach's dismissal. It is believed Browns defensive coordinator Dave Campo would be the interim coach, although offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie has served previously as an interim head coach with the Washington Redskins.
Neither Lerner or Davis was available for comment Monday night.
Lerner has been committed to restructuring the football operations of the organization, which would include the hiring of a general manager. Davis currently has the authority for all football decisions.
Davis, 52, is in his fourth season as the Browns coach. He inherited an expansion team that was 5-27 under its first coach, Chris Palmer. Davis' career record is 23-35, including a playoff season in 2002. However, the Browns have been a franchise marked by numerous injuries to players, poor drafts and player development, significant turnover in the front office and the death of owner Al Lerner.
Lerner's son, Randy, actually signed Davis to a two-year contract extension before the 2004 season got underway, through the 2007 season.
"Randy Lerner is pretty determined to start over and get this thing fixed," a league source said.
If Davis is fired soon, it wouldn't surprise some of his friends if he pursued the vacant University of Florida job. Davis restored the University of Miami program to national prominence after being named the Hurricane coach in 1995.
CLEVELAND -- Browns president John Collins insisted Tuesday night that the team intends on having coach Butch Davis finish out the rest of this season.
Amid speculation that Davis is about to be fired, Collins tried to clear up any confusion by saying Davis' job was secure and the team would evaluate the coaching staff after the season.
"Butch is our head coach," he said. "It is our intent that he finishes the season and our focus is only on winning football games."
The Browns realize Davis could decide to leave the team but they aren't expecting him to go anywhere.
Cleveland's beleaguered coach went to work Tuesday to begin preparing for this week's game against the Cincinnati Bengals as if everything were normal.
As usual, with the Browns, it's anything but.
Davis has been under pressure to show improvement with the Browns (3-7), who have a four-game losing streak in another season filled with injuries and controversy.
On Sunday night, owner Randy Lerner did consider firing Davis, as first reported by ESPN's Chris Mortensen.
The team issued a statement Tuesday saying it was not planning any changes.
"The Cleveland Browns organization is acutely aware of our fans' passion and share in their desire for a championship team. We acknowledge the disappointment and frustration with this season's record," it said.
"We reiterate that we are keeping our organization intact in order to focus our efforts toward winning our remaining football games."
It's unclear if "intact" meant for the rest of the season, with Davis, or if Lerner will make a move over the next six weeks. However, Collins clarified the situation Tuesday night.
Lerner, who has overhauled his front office this year, was in New York. He was expected to be at the team's headquarters in Berea on Wednesday.
Whether he decides to keep Davis beyond next week, next month or next season, Lerner will likely hire a general manager in the offseason. Davis, who still has three years left on his contract, coaches and oversees operations.
The Browns are 24-35, including a playoff loss in 2002, under Davis. The team has again been ravaged by injuries and keep losing close games, a trend that Davis hasn't been able to stop since taking over in 2001.
Calls to Davis' office Tuesday were redirected to the club's media relations staff.
"Whatever is going to happen will happen," Davis said Monday. "I feel that this team would be a totally different team if it was a healthy team."
Quarterback Jeff Garcia, signed as a free agent in March, has struggled while learning a new offense and has had to cope with the team losing several key starters to injuries, including rookie tight end Kellen Winslow Jr.
Garcia has also been critical of Cleveland's offensive line and he took exception to Davis calling him "skittish" earlier this season.
Garcia sprained the rotator cuff in his right (throwing) shoulder as the Browns lost for the fifth time in six games on Sunday and may miss this week's game. Davis could decide to start rookie Luke McCown over backup Kelly Holcomb, who couldn't spark the Browns last week after Garcia got hurt.
McCown, a fourth-round selection from Louisiana Tech, played well in exhibition games. Davis may be reluctant to put McCown behind an offensive line missing two starters on the right side, but Davis may not have much time left to show Lerner and Cleveland fans that his plan is working.
Why would they fire him? I dont understand. They almost beat the eagles. They beat Baltimore. and Winslow is injured. With a new coach, everything will get all mixed up just like the way our team is at this point. 'Taint worth it.
Cleveland Browns head coach Butch Davis resigned Tuesday, leaving a last-place team with five games left in a season filled with costly injuries. The Browns (3-8) lost their fifth straight game on Sunday, 58-48 at Cincinnati. The team went 24-36 and made the playoffs just once in Davis' four seasons as head coach. Davis left with three years remaining on a contract worth about $12 million. It wasn't immediately clear if he agreed to a buyout. Browns president John Collins was to speak about the move at an afternoon news conference, team spokeswoman Lisa Levine said. Offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie or defensive coordinator Dave Campo is expected to take over as interim coach for the Browns, who host the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots on Sunday.
That has to be the first time ever that the same guy was around to be named interim head coach after a mid-season firing/resignation with two different teams.
