Following reports last week that the Cleveland Browns would consider hiring a woman as a head coach, we now have a name to put with the rumors: Condoleezza Rice.
Cleveland would like to interview the former Secretary of State, a league source told ESPN. A source also told the Worldwide Leader the team is interested in talking to Rice about the job and “seeing what she could bring to the position and the organization.”
However, after that report leaked the team’s general manager, John Dorsey, released a statement denying the report.
“Our coaching search will be thorough and deliberate, but we are still in the process of composing the list of candidates and Secretary Rice has not been discussed,” he said.
Rice, a lifelong Browns fan, also weighed in on the situation on Facebook, saying that she would willingly offer some play-calling ideas but was not prepared to step in as a coach.
“I love my Browns – and I know they will hire an experienced coach to take us to the next level,” Rice wrote. “On a more serious note, I do hope that the NFL will start to bring women into the coaching profession as position coaches and eventually coordinators and head coaches. One doesn’t have to play the game to understand it and motivate players. But experience counts – and it is time to develop a pool of experienced women coaches. BTW – I’m not ready to coach but I would like to call a play or two next season if the Browns need ideas! And at no time will I call for a ‘prevent defense.’”
If the Browns did bring Rice in for a chat about the position, she would be the first woman to interview for an NFL head-coaching job.
“She’s an amazing person,” one Browns source told ESPN.
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