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The Cleveland Browns are reportedly planning to hire Chris Kiffin as the team’s defensive line coach.
Kiffin will be a familiar face to new defensive coordinator Joe Woods after spending the past season with Woods as a member of the defensive coaching staff of the San Francisco 49ers.
The news was first reported by Alex Marvez of Sirius/XM NFL Radio:
Source tells @SiriusXMNFL that Chris Kiffin is leaving the @49ers to become new @browns d-line coach. Kiffin was SF's pass-rush specialist. Aaron Whitecotton, who was @BuffaloBills assistant d-line coach, is joining the @49ers staff per source
— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) February 7, 2020
Kiffin spent the past two seasons as San Francisco’s pass rush specialist. According to his bio on the team’s website, in 2018 the San Francisco defense posted 37 sacks, which was the highest single-season total for the team since 2013.
This past season, the 49ers had 48 sacks during the regular season and carried that momentum through the postseason, sacking Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins six times in the divisional playoff game, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers three times in the NFC Championship Game and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes four times in the Super Bowl.
Kiffin is the son of longtime NFL defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and the younger brother of current University of Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin.