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Silver Minings: Former Raiders coach Bill Callahan is now key to Cleveland Browns’ offense

Jon Gruden will face an old friend on Sunday

** ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND EDITIONS JAN. 4-5 ** Former Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, right, stands with current coach Bill Callahan against the Dallas Cowboys Aug. 4, 2001, in Oakland, Calif. Callahan has never said he’s anything like his predecess
Bill Callahan, Jon Gruden
Photo by MediaNews Group/Oakland Tribune via Getty Images

When asked this week about the key to the Cleveland Browns offense — who the Las Vegas Raiders will play on Sunday — Jon Gruden quickly credited his old friend, Bill Callahan.

Callahan is now the Browns offensive line coach. He was Gruden’s offensive coordinator when Gruden was previously the Raiders’ coach and he replaced him as the Raiders’ head coach when Gruden was traded to Tampa Bay in 2002. Callahan remained in that role for two seasons

Gruden said he thinks Callahan is doing a great job in Cleveland.

“He’s a great line coach. I have a lot of experience working with him,” Gruden said. “You’re going to see [Kareem] Hunt and when [Nick] Chubb is healthy, they have two of the best backs in the AFC and in the NFL. They know how to use them. They can run the ball inside or out, gap scheme or zone scheme, traps, shotgun, you name it.

“He’s a great teacher. He’s always studying, he’s always learning, he’s always finding ways to get better. He’s got a book about that thick of line techniques,” Gruden continued to rave about Callahan. “He knows how to coach a right guard. Then that next day he’ll make that right guard the left tackle. All five of his linemen can play multiple positions. He’s just a great line coach. He’s a great football coach. I look forward to seeing Bill.”

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