Browns Interview Scott Pioli – Want Answer Today

(Photo Art by Midwest Sports Fans)

We may find out sooner than expected who will be leading the Cleveland Browns franchise into the foreseeable future.

According to Adam Schefter of NFL.com, Browns owner Randy Lerner is meeting with Scott Pioli today and wants an answer from Scott Pioli…today.

All reports leading up to today have indicated that Scott Pioli is the Browns’ #1 choice to be their VP (at least now that Bill Cowher is out of the running). Should Pioli decline, reports Schefter, the Browns will then likely turn to former Falcons GM Rich McKay. Or, as Mike Florio at PFT posits, Pioli may decline the Browns offer but “remain interested.”

Obviously Randy Lerner wants to put a GM in place who can help direct the next steps of the coaching search. Bagging a hot commodity with the experience and success of Scott Pioli would be the first good news for the Browns since…well…they returned to the league? That may be a bit dramatic, but it would certainly be the kind of big-splash hire that would give Browns fans legitimate hope for the future.

Or, at the very least, it would allow us to trick ourselves, and believe our own trickeration, that happier days and more wins are on the horizon.

If a decision comes down, I probably won’t be able to report it tonight, as I will be out on the town celebrating the new year. But if you are dying to know the latest, I’m sure the Plain-Dealer or PFT or NFL.com would know way before me anyway.

Happy New Year’s everyone! And perhaps tomorrow Browns fans can wake up not only to a brand new 2009, but also to a new a brand new Scott Pioli era of Browns football. As far as I’m concerned it would be a wonderful belated Christmas present from Randy Lerner to the Browns faithful.

Two quick updates that I just caught after posting this:

1. PFT is reporting that the Browns have received permission to speak with Josh McDaniels about the head coaching vacancy. (Don’t know much about him, but I like him better than Mangini!)
2. The Chiefs are also now in the running for Pioli. Not only could this delay a decision, but it will almost certainly drive the price up. Damn you Kansas City.

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