Rob Chudzinski leaves Carolina Panthers to become new Cleveland Browns head coach

Rob Chudzinski: Has taken charge of the Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns have appointed Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski as their new head coach.

Chudzinski, who has also been in charge of the offence in Cleveland during his career, returns to the Browns after two years with Carolina.

The 44-year-old Ohio native started his NFL career with the Browns as a tight end coach and has also had two spells on the coaching staff of the San Diego Chargers.

"I'm excited about this opportunity. I'm excited about the chance to bring back what I grew up in, and the feeling that this city, this region, this area had in the Cleveland Browns," Chudzinski said.

"I was the kid in the backyard pretending I was Ozzie Newsome or Brian Sipe or the greats that played for Cleveland.

"The tradition of this franchise is such that the people here want a winner and I would not miss this for the world, the opportunity to come back and bring a winner back to Cleveland."

Cleveland fired both head coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert after finishing the 2012 season with a 5-11 record. They have not made the play-offs since 2002.