Here's 5 things to know about Bubba Ventrone, who's managed to make the most out of every piece of his football career.

From an undrafted rookie who carved a 10-year NFL career, to a top-ranked special teams coordinator 👇https://t.co/i1Oek6zLUF

— Anthony Poisal (@AnthonyPoisal) February 24, 2023

Bubba Ventrone has a big job – and a tremendous challenge – in his new job as Browns special teams coordinator.

He has to turn round a segment of the team – some would claim, and perhaps correctly so, that it’s one-third – that has been moribund for about a decade, since Phil Dawson, the best kicker the Browns have ever had, and Joshua Cribbs, the best returner and the best overall special teamer in their history, disappeared together in a veritable blink of an eye, robbing the Cleveland special teams of everything that was even remotely special. Since then, they’ve been especially bad, including in the last four years under coordinator Mike Priefer, a good guy who was a poor coach.

In any event, it’s Ventrone’s job – his turn – now, and to be successful at it and with it, this is his to-do list:

*Get the special teamers feeling like they’re special. There has been no excitement on Browns special teams for a long time now. Emotion is a big part of football, particularly special teams, which are played with zeal, fearlessness and a little craziness, not as if they were an unenviable chore, or burden.

*Develop a sense of pride in playing special teams. It’s not a group where everyone is welcome, but rather one that is extremely selective. Be good enough and tough enough to make the grade and be one of the few.

*Make them realize that special teams are important, not only for what they mean for the team, but also what they mean to their own careers. Unknown players can make their mark on special teams, which is the pipeline to making their mark on offense or defense.

*Fix kicker Cade York, emotionally, mentally and physically. He was the game-winning hero – drilling a long field goal in his first game in the NFL last season that might still be going — and it went downhill from there. He is extremely talented, but he needs to learn how to hone it and use it to his advantage, and that of the Browns.

*Develop a prolific returner. The Super Bowl showed us how a big game can change on a long return.

Steve King

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