ACCORSI’S ROLE IN FRONT-OFFICE HIRES IS QUESTIONED

An open secret in league circles regarding the recent decision of the Cleveland Browns to hire George Kokinis as the team’s new G.M. is that former Giants and Browns G.M. Ernie Accorsi had a voice in the process. Kokinis acknowledged that Accorsi had a role in the process during the former Ravens pro personnel director’s introductory press conference as the General Manager in Cleveland. Earlier this month, Accorsi gave Kokinis a strong endorsement for the job in comments to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. But neither Accorsi nor Tony Grossi pointed out in the article that Accorsi was being paid to help the Browns with their decision-making process. (Apparently, Accorsi’s compensation also included a little bit of covert P.R.) Grossi’s latest item regarding the Kokinis hire includes more gushing from Accorsi, along with a recognition that Accorsi had indeed been hired by the Browns to serve as a consultant in connection with the vacant G.M. position. We’d love to know whether Accorsi withheld this information from Grossi when Accorsi publicly went to bat for Kokinis earlier this month, and/or whether Grossi withheld the information from his audience. Some league insiders are uncomfortable with the fact that Accorsi has so much influence in hiring decisions, primarily because Accorsi seems to be recommending only folks with whom he is familiar. “Accorsi is being used as the League’s guy in terms of G.M. searches,” a league source recently told us. “Every owner is using him because [Commissioner Roger] Goodell is encouraging the owners [to do so]. He’s only worked for a few teams in the league and doesn’t know everyone. He’s recommending people he worked with. It’s transparent and bullsh-t.” (Please, source, don’t hold back.) “There are a lot of really good candidates, like Steve Keim and Mark Dominik and Nick Caserio, who don’t know Accorsio and won’t get recommended. It’s crap. Everyone knows it. Accorsi was a great G.M. but he’s content to recommend his buddies.” The source pointed to Accorsi’s recommendation in 2008 of Thomas Dimitroff for the Falcons’ G.M. job, and the source opined that Accorsi’s relationship with Dimitroff’s father helped cement the endorsement. The source also noted that Kokinis worked for Accorsi in Cleveland. Another guy who has yet to firmly hit the radar -- Giants pro personnel director Dave Gettleman -- supposedly was a finalist for the Giants job despite not being regarding by some in league circles as ready and/or able to run a front office. But, as the source explained, the fact that Gettleman worked for Accorsi in New York has gotten Gettleman in line for a recommendation. Generally speaking, the source has a point. There are plenty of competent and qualified personnel execs. If the league is relying on Accorsi to help teams find new General Managers and if Accorsi is favoring his friends and former associates, folks who never had the opportunity or the occasion to enter Accorsi’s inner circle might not be getting fair consideration.