Former Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren has had nothing but praise for his former employers as of late, seemingly setting the stage for his return to the Pacific Northwest this off-season to take control of the struggling Seattle franchise. Holmgren has simultaneously carried on discussions with Browns owner Randy Lerner, and came away from his visit in Cleveland last week with a good feeling about the position.

But when presented with an offer to come back into a leadership capacity with the Seahawks this weekend, Holmgren graciously declined, indicating that a deal with Cleveland is in the works and could potentially take place early next week. Nothing is certain at this point, but given Holmgren’s stated desire to get back into the league soon, it’s doubtful that he will turn down a legitimate offer from the Browns now that he has quietly moved himself out of the running in Seattle.

“I sincerely thank Paul Allen and Tod for all their support over the years. I thank them for reaching out to me and we conclude these discussions as friends.”

– Former Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren

A move to bring Holmgren into the fold in Cleveland could potentially spell the end of current head coach Eric Mangini, as Holmgren may choose to bring in someone from his own coaching tree, or even choose to take on the role himself, combining the general manager position with the head coaching job and reigning supreme over the Browns. That said, Holmgren has not stated specifically that Mangini would be out if he takes charge, and given Mangini’s popularity with the players it is possible that the two could form a partnership of sorts next season.

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