Tommy Rees has been promoted to Offensive Coordinator for the Cleveland Browns

CLEVELAND- Tommy Rees, formerly the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama, has been named the new offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, taking over from Ken Dorsey. The announcement was made on Tuesday, as reported by Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski addressed the change, stating, “I think there is a lot that we need to look into and get fixed." He continued,  “This is never about one person – or in this case, about one coach or another coach. This is something that we all own, and we all share in that. But we have to look at all of it,” per the Browns' official website.

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Rees has a rich football background, having played football at Notre Dame from 2010 to 2013. After his playing days, he served as a graduate assistant at Northwestern in 2015, then became an offensive assistant with the San Diego Chargers in 2016. He returned to Notre Dame from 2017 to 2019 as a quarterbacks coach and later held the role of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2020 to 2022. After his time with the Fighting Irish, he joined Alabama for the 2023-24 season as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The team ranked fourth in the Southeastern Conference in scoring offense, secured the SEC Championship, and reached the College Football Playoff semifinals. Rees then transitioned to the Browns as a tight ends and pass game specialist for the 2024-25 season.

As the Browns prepare for the 2025-26 season, significant changes are on the horizon, starting with the promotion of Rees. Stefanski has expressed concerns about the offense's performance and the direction the team needs to take moving forward.

“We have to play better on offense in a bunch of different areas,” Stefanski said, according to the Browns' official website. He continued, “I don’t think it’s as simple as just one saying running effectively; that is a component of it. But we need to do a better job of setting our team up for success.”

For Rees, this moment represents a full-circle experience for him and his family. In August, he reflected on his time as a ball boy for the Browns nearly 20 years ago. “I think a big part of when I was growing to love the game of football was watching Browns games because my dad was obviously here through some of those formative years for me,” said Rees, per the Browns' official website. “So, that’s always been something that was kind of held close to. My brother was a big part of it, he was here working, he was a little bit older than I was. For our family, it comes full circle a little bit, which is pretty neat.”