Colts Hire Former Browns Head Coach Rob Chudzinski

Rob Chudzinski won't be out of the NFL next season. The Indianapolis Colts have hired the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns. With the Colts, Chudzinski will serve as the special assistant to head coach Chuck Pagano. Pagano and Chudzinski have a long relationship with each other, having spent eight years together at the University of Miami, and the 2004 season with the Browns.

Chudzinski is also re-uniting with former Browns running back Trent Richardson, who was traded to the Colts this past season after just two games. The impression was that Chudzinski was not really responsible for Richardson's dismissal, so there shouldn't be any ill-will between the two.

One question now is whether or not the Browns had any offset language in his contract, or if Cleveland is still on the hook for his three-year, $10.5 million salary. Will Brinson of CBS Sports speculates that the "special assistant" designation is a way around triggering any offset language:

Lot of Schrute jokes on Chud but oftentimes "special asst" title circumvents contract offset $ language See: Butch Davis

— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) February 8, 2014

Note: the Schture jokes are in reference to the American TV series, 'The Office,' in which there was a running gag about the title of 'assistant to the regional manager...' vs. 'assistant regional manager.'

Pagano and the Colts released the following statement after the hire:

"Rob and I have a long professional relationship and his résumé speaks for itself. He brings a wealth of knowledge and will be a tremendous help to our entire team moving forward. Needless to say, we’re excited to have 'Chud' joining our family."

The Colts take on the Browns in Cleveland this coming season, so both Chudzinski and Richardson will have a chance to face their former team.