When Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner get around to deciding whether or not to keep coach Pat Shurmur and General Manager Tom Heckert after the season, the decision won’t be made based on the team’s won-loss record.
That was the message Banner sent during an interview with Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Thursday. Banner said that the brass will be looking at other things as they decide which direction to go in the future. Banner said that having worked with both men in Philadelphia gives him some insight into who they are which will help since the criteria he’s looking for could be hard to discern over a couple of months.
“We’re looking for leadership, attention to detail, character, those kinds of things,” Banner said.
One place he’ll need to rely on the current staff is with his evaluation of quarterback Brandon Weeden. He told Cabot that he knows they need to make a decision about Weeden’s fit as the quarterback for the long term. Banner said that they would be reliant on the thoughts of experts already in the building.
Wins and losses might not be the biggest factor for Banner in the abstract, but they will certainly play a role. If Shurmur shows that he can win (or doesn’t) with this team, it should make a difference in how he’s viewed. All of the things Banner mentions are vital, but the league is ultimately about results and they’ll matter when decision time comes for Shurmur.