Browns hire Howard as defensive assistant

Kevin Stefanski’s coaching staff continues to take shape after another hire with ties to his Vikings’ tenure, this one Jeff Howard. Howard will serve as DBs coach and pass game coordinator.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski added another building block to his Browns’ coaching staff Feb. 11 when Jeff Howard was named defensive back coach/pass game coordinator.

Howard was a defensive assistant with the Vikings from 2013-19, where he helped coach the linebackers and defensive backs. Stefanski was an offensive assistant on the same staff from 2006-19.

Joe Woods, hired last week as Browns defensive coordinator, was the Vikings’ defensive backs coach from 2006-13.

There will be no adjustment period for Woods and Howard as they work together coaching the Browns’ defense.

“Jeff Howard is someone I’ve had a football relationship with ever since our time together at Minnesota,” Woods told clevelandbrowns.com. “We always talk football. We have for years. I was very excited to get him as a secondary coach and to work with him as a coordinator.

“It’s hard when you’ve coached a position so long to not be involved, so he understands the situation of me being involved and really working with the corners. He will still oversee the whole room and run his operation, but I feel we’ll have a great working relationship together.”

Howard coached at

Odessa Permian High School in Texas as defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator from 200710. He was an assistant at Texas Tech in 2011-12 before moving on to the Vikings.

“I love defensive back play because I feel like it’s a very challenging position,” Howard said. “I like living on the edge a little bit, and that’s the way you’ve got to live. You’ve got to be a dog to be out there and play.

“You’ve got to be on your p’s and q’s and on your details. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some really good guys in Minnesota.

“The camaraderie of that group was tight-knit. We were all in it together, took care of one another and fought for each other.”