The Cleveland Browns introduced Pat Shurmur as their 13th full-time coach Friday, hoping the number will be lucky for a franchise in desperate need of a winner.
Shurmur was hired by Browns president Mike Holmgren despite the lack of any head-coaching experience.
"Pat emerged as the one that we think is the best man to take the Cleveland Browns where we hope to go. Today is his day," Holmgren said.
Shurmur, who spent the past two seasons as St. Louis' offensive coordinator, spoke to reporters about his ties to Holmgren, his long-standing relationship with Browns general manager Tom Heckert and a shared vision on turning around the team.
"I think we have a team here with great tradition," Shurmur said Friday at his introductory news conference. "I think the relationship with Tom and coach Holmgren is part of the strength of what we're going to embark on. We have a collective view of what it takes to win in this league.
"Our goal is to win the AFC North, compete in the playoffs and win Super Bowls. We will make all our decisions based on winning."
The 45-year-old Shurmur may be new to Browns players and fans, but he's familiar to Cleveland's front office. He spent eight seasons working in Philadelphia with Heckert. His late uncle, Fritz, was Holmgren's defensive coordinator when the Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XXXI.
The Browns' coaching carousel has barely stopped since the club's expansion return in 1999. Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel and Eric Mangini preceded Shurmur, who inherits a team that went 5-11 the past two seasons.
Shurmur was the first candidate interviewed by Holmgren, who hopes his first head coaching hire will be his last with the Browns.
"There's no guarantees on anything," Holmgren said Friday. "But I do know this. We can not keep changing around here every two or three years. You can't do that and expect to be successful. My hope and prayer is the change has stopped. Now the growing and building begins. My hope is this is the coach for a long, long time."
Shurmur helped develop Rams rookie quarterback Sam Bradford, who led the team to a 7-9 record this season after going 1-15 in 2009.
Shurmur now inherits another young quarterback in second-year starter Colt McCoy.
"I got to know Colt very well," Shurmur said, citing last season's draft process with the Rams. "I'm very impressed with McCoy.
"The quarterback is so, so important," he said. "I would anticipate the vision for this team will be seen through the eyes of the quarterback."
Shurmur confirmed that he will call plays for the Browns.
"Initially, I will start out by calling the plays," he said. "I think that's an important piece."
With all the talk of offense, Shurmur was asked where he stood on building a strong defense.
"There's a defense?" he joked, adding that the team is actively pursuing a top-notch coordinator.
"We're going to do the things necessary to build a very fine defense," he said.
Another coach with Holmgren ties -- Dick Jauron -- is being considered for the Browns' defensive coordinator position, a league source told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora. Rob Ryan no longer is in the Browns' plans and will interview with the Dallas Cowboys about their defensive coordinator job.
Jauron, who was Holmgren's defensive backs coach in Green Bay in the early 1990s, also brings considerable head-coaching experience, going 60-82 in 10 seasons with the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions (on an interim basis) and Buffalo Bills. He would provide Shurmur with a strong infrastructure.
Jauron spent the 2010 season as the Philadelphia Eagles' secondary coach.
Holmgren confirmed that he would not be involved in coaching the team, but will serve as a sounding board for Shurmur and his assistants.
"(Shurmur) is the head coach of this football team," Holmgren said. "If he wants to come in and bounce things off of me, I hope he does that. I think we're going to have a great relationship, but it's his football team. I'm not going to interfere. I hope to help."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
