An honor for Bubba Ventrone and an advantage for the Browns.
The Senior Bowl announced Wednesday the coaches and coordinators for the game Feb. 1 and preceding three days of practice in Mobile, Alabama, and Ventrone will be head coach of the American team. He just finished his second season as Cleveland’s assistant head coach/special teams coordinator and has aspirations of becoming a head coach.
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With Ventrone with the American team and defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire serving as defensive coordinator for the National team, the Browns will get an up-close and behind-the-scenes look at many of the top prospects for the NFL Draft in April. The Browns have the No. 2 pick among their nine selections. They haven’t had a first-round pick since 2021 after trading three for quarterback Deshaun Watson.
“It’s truly an honor to be a part of the premiere college all-star game and I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to coach this extraordinary group of seniors,” Ventrone said in the news release. “I watched the Senior Bowl Roster Reveal show on NFL Network this morning and I couldn’t believe how many great prospects were committed to the game. My staff and I will have these guys ready to roll!”
Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was picked as head coach of the National team.
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“We’re excited to be getting two outstanding coaches with such great reputations leading our teams this year,” Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said. “I was part of the Patriots scouting staff that drafted Bubba Ventrone back in 2005 so I know how smart and competitive he is.
“Mike Kafka has already had numerous head coaching interviews over the past couple hiring cycles and many people I’ve talked to around the league believe it’s only a matter time before he gets one of those jobs. Our players will leave Mobile as better players than when they arrived after spending the week with these two men and their respective staffs.”
This is the third year the Senior is using a “Coach Up” format in which coordinators and assistant coaches are placed into elevated or different roles than the ones they have with their teams.
“Bubba is an incredible coach who has immediate credibility with his players due to his decorated playing career,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “As the special teams coordinator, he does an outstanding job coaching all of the players on our roster in the special teams phases. He’s a master motivator and he gets the most out of every player. He will do a great job leading the American squad in this year’s Senior Bowl.”
