Browns Coach Bubba Ventrone talks new kickoff, his playing days, Bill Belichick and more in this exclusive interview

Every American Football team has three parts: offense, defense, and special teams.

All three components are capable of scoring points at any time. The offense is set up to attempt to score points with possession of the ball while the defense tries to stop this. But a fumble at any time allows all 11 players on each side of the ball the opportunity to scoop and score.

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Special teams are the only portion of the game that actually uses the foot in “football.” This group is also the only portion that kicks the ball with field goal attempts, drop kicks, punts, and point-after-try (PAT) opportunities.

In regards to special teams, these are plays and situations in every game that can score points, turn the ball over to the opponent, put the ball in play, and cover the opponent’s opportunity to gain yardage.

Special teams have their own vocabulary in American Football as well using words like a punt, coffin-corner, kickoff, PAT, long snapper, kicker, halo, IN20 (Punts downed inside the 20-yard line), onsides kick, gunner, returner, specialist, punter, holder, personal protector, spin the laces, hang time, double doink, touchback, 50-plus, wide left, upback, wide right, fair catch, and split the uprights.

When Kevin Stefanski was hired as head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2020, the special teams unit was ranked 13^th overall in the league by RickGosselin.com. That ranking bottomed out at #28 in 2021 and #30 for the year 2022.

For 2023, Stefanski made a move and hired former Browns special teams ace Bubba Ventrone (age 41) away from the Indianapolis Colts to become Cleveland’s Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator.

Ventrone was hired as the special teams coach with Indy beginning in 2018. In just two years, his units were ranked #4 and then had a #2 ranking in 2021.

Under Ventrone’s system, Cleveland improved in so many areas after just one year.

His group was number 1 in the league in the number of punts by opponents per game average (6.6), and Opponents' field goals made per game average (1), and most tackles by gunners.

Ventrone’s special teams units were also ranked #2: Offense field goals made per game average (2), Opponent’s field goal attempts per game average (1.4), Opponent’s punt return yards per game average (2.4); #4: Opponents punt return yards, Offensive field goal percentage (92%), Offensive field goal attempts per game average (2.2); and #7 Browns punt yards average (49.4).

The 2023 Browns season will forever be known as the year of attrition. The IR list was a who’s-who of some of Cleveland’s best players on all three units.

Ventrone’s guys were hit equally as hard.

Kicker Dustin Hopkins was having a banner year when he became injured and landed on IR. Special teams guru Mike Ford had a calf injury and left the game against the Chicago Bears with an issue. Another player signed to enhance special teams was Matthew Adams, who struggled to remain healthy due to a hamstring injury and a calf problem at one time was in a walking boot. Tackler Jordan Kunaszyk was placed on IR in late August after spraining his MCL. Returners Daylen Baldwin and Jakeem Grant landed on IR. Punter Corey Bojorquez had a quad injury. Punt coverage specialist Pierre Strong was questionable for two games with hamstring and back problems as was LB Sione Takitaki.

Yet, as with the rest of the roster, it was the next-man-up mentality.

Ventrone’s (5’-10”, 200 pounds) journey in the NFL may just be completed at this point. He was a fan favorite with the Browns when he was on the roster from 2009-2012. After a solid college career at Villanova, he was undrafted in the 2005 NFL draft and signed with the New England Patriots. He was in the New York Jets training camp in 2007 and thought he had made the final roster but was a surprise cut and re-signed with the Patriots for another two years before being released on the final cutdown after the 2009 training camp.

At the time, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick stated about Ventrone:

“Ray is fast and he’s tough. No one works harder than Ray. He’s a smart football player. He puts his heart and soul into it every time he steps onto the field. It doesn’t matter if it’s a regular season or postseason game or a walkthrough practice. He has the same intensity and level of competitiveness on every play. You’ve got to love that about Ray. He’s a tough kid. He’s got good speed. He’s got good quickness. He’s strong for his size. He’s not a real tall guy, but he’s well put together. He’s got good power and he plays very aggressively. That stuff will carry a long way.”

What is unclear is why Belichick still cut Ventrone if he was truly what New England was looking for.

The Browns must have believed Belichick’s assessment because they inked Ventrone to a three-year deal worth $2.2 million knowing he was predominately a special teams ace. That same 2010 season under head coach Eric Mangini and Special Teams Coordinator Brad Seely, Cleveland limped to a 5-11-0 record but its special teams unit was ranked #1 in the league. Ventrone was selected as a Pro Bowl Alternate as a Special Teamer. He would serve as the Browns Special Teams Captain for the following two seasons.

Despite all of Ventrone’s success in Cleveland, they did not offer him a contract for the upcoming 2013 season deciding instead to feature players with more youth. Ventrone was then 31 years old.

It just so happened that Ventrone’s old coach Seely was now the Special Teams Coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers. They had some issues with special teams including allowing a touchdown that lost the Super Bowl for them the year before. The thought process was to bring in some seasoned help. Seely knew exactly who to call.

In the 2013 NFL season, Ventrone, now a 49er, was voted “Special Teams Player of the Year.” He was captain in 2013 and 2014 before he hung up his cleats. The following three years he was back where it all began as the Assistant Special Teams Coach of the Patriots under Belichick.

Ventrone appeared in 97 career games with 13 defensive tackles, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and 57 special teams stops. All 13 defensive tackles were with the Browns, as well as 31 total special teams tackles. He played a key role on both kickoff return and kickoff coverage, helping the Browns to an NFL-best average starting position of 31.4 and to a league-best defensive kickoff return average of 18.9 in 2009. He also registered a 35-yard run on a fake punt, which tied for the longest run of the season for the Browns in 2012. He has a Super Bowl ring when he was on the coaching staff of the Patriots in 2017.

Now, he is back in Cleveland but currently wears a whistle during practices. He has been married to his wife Katie for 17 years and the practicing Catholics have three children: Ava, Ella, and Major.

Dawgs By Nature’s Barry Shuck took some time to discuss with the Browns coach what he thinks about the new kickoff formation, what he learned from his experiences under Bill Belichick, and why he left the indoor dome coziness and success of Indianapolis to come back to Cleveland.

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DBN: Your coaching career began under Bill Belichick who began as a special teams coach himself. What did you learn from him that has carried over to your job today?

Ventrone: Bill gave me my foundation for the NFL. It started with him from me being a player that transitioned from me being a new coach in 2015. How I prepare, how I look at film, how I game plan is really through the lens of Bill.

Photo by: 2016 Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images

DBN: You work with a unit that, except for the specialists, there are a lot of guys who come and go. Being a former special teamer, do you have a good understanding of what these guys go through?

Ventrone: I played receiver and safety, but for most of my career I was the fourth or fifth safety on the roster. I was the fourth receiver in New England. If you are a backup to any position you are expected to be a huge contributor to the kicking game. Otherwise, there is no value to keep you there. If you are not a starter, you have to be able to contribute to the kicking game. You need the bodies to contribute.

DBN: How do you use your personal experience in the NFL to motivate players?

Ventrone: For the rookies, I use my example. I was an undrafted player, a backup, from a non-Power 5 school, and worked extremely hard to accomplish everything I was asked to do. The emphasis was: embrace your role. Since you are a backup, and you are asked to play on special teams, be excellent at that. Teams need those guys. The faster that guys understand their roles, the better off they are. Guys who aren’t starters will sometimes get caught up in the fact that they aren’t starting. They can get discouraged because they are playing on special teams. Those are the guys who eventually don’t make it. Embrace your role. You are playing and getting snaps on the field so be a leader there first. Eventually, you may get an opportunity to play your position but give it all you have right now.

DBN: You spent five seasons with Indianapolis as their Special Teams coach and were very successful at what you do. In the last three seasons, your units were ranked Top-5. What was the appeal coming back to Cleveland?

Ventrone: I was excited about a new opportunity. I love Cleveland. Frank Reich hired me with the Colts and I thought when they released him, I would become the interim head coach. They didn’t. And it just didn’t feel right when Frank wasn’t there. The Browns had reached out even though I was still under contract. The new coach Shane (Steichen) had asked if I would be interested and I said yeah. Especially since I knew it was the Browns. I love the team, the organization, the city. It’s two hours from my hometown Pittsburgh so my family is able to go to games. I had heard great things about Kevin and felt it was a great opportunity. An incredible piece to the whole puzzle was Andrew Berry. Phenomenal person. He is a dude. Working for those guys and being back in Cleveland has been an honor already and been fun.

DBN: The Browns have one of the best long snappers in the league in Charley Hughlett, yet he has never tasted the Pro Bowl. While with the Colts, you were able to elevate LS Luke Rhodes into one of the NFL’s best. What is the formula to get Hughlett to that next level?

Ventrone: I think Charley is at that level. If we can get a little more coverage production as far as more tackling numbers. He is an accurate snapper. He is solid on his punt stuff and accurate on his field goal snaps. He has good size and strength, is a good protector, and is a great communicator.

He is underrated and undervalued at the position right now relative to the league. He is definitely one of the best at what he does. Smart and recognizes rush looks. If we can just get him to the ball more and get those tackling numbers up, he will get more recognition. He wasn’t asked to do a lot until I got here. Now, he is communicating and co-signing the call with the PP (personal protector) who is the quarterback, especially on punts. The schemes are different than what he has done in the past. Kudos to him for taking on that role and still being efficient at his job. Charley’s snaps are on point which helps out Dustin (Hopkins) and Corey (Bojorquez).

DBN: Punter Corey Bojorquez has a booming leg and is going to kick it over a pine tree. As his coach, is this a guy that you basically just leave alone?

Ventrone: He’s phenomenal. I don’t like to overcoach those guys. I like to observe and I like to watch. I’ll get them in their warmup and give them tidbits here and there. Specialists don’t want to be overcoached. They want to be in their comfort zone. That’s the thing – I like a lot of feedback. I give my players a calendar and show them the practice schedule. And I ask them, “When do you want to kick? When do you want to punt? When do you want to kickoff, when do you want to kick field goals?” I adjust and make my schedule around them. Because here’s the thing: you want them to feel the most comfortable. You don’t want them to be stressed or feel like they are putting too much on their body. So, what’s more comfortable than them picking when they are going to kick? Kicking when they can have their rest. If things change, we can adjust as training camp goes along. So, I give those guys the freedom to do that. I have had a lot of positive results.

DBN: Back in the day, the backup quarterback was the holder and now it is the punter’s job. All of the AFC North stadiums are outside. Cleveland does not have an indoor field like Indy has. What adjustments must the holder make for windy and freezing conditions?

Ventrone: There is a bunch. There is a lot of communication between the kicker and the holder depending upon what the wind is doing. The lean on the ball could be different. And that is front-to-back or a right-to-left. The wind may be coming more at you. He may say a little more lean. Our guys do a really great job at communicating to each other. And that all comes from practice. We try to practice as many in-game adjustments as possible that way when it comes to the game it is second nature of what to do. Those guys are just around each other so much they just know.

DBN: Kicker Dustin Hopkins was having a Pro Bowl year before he became injured. He was 8-8 on kicks of 50-yards plus. How does his long-range ability help this offense?

Ventrone: When you have a guy who is automatic from long-range kicks, you tend to be a little more aggressive on offense and take your shots. Say it’s fourth-and-three you have the confidence that he can make a 53-yard field goal and get some points instead of having to decide to go for it or punt.

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DBN: You have Cade York back. When a kicker has ups-and-downs like that, as his coach, do you work on his plant foot, his follow through, make sure that his eyes stay down, or maybe it’s his chin disciple?

Ventrone: I think with Cade it is trying to identify what the problem was with the kick. What happened on the kick? Can you self-diagnose quickly and apply it to the next rep fast? That’s the biggest thing. It could be a number of things like being too deep on your plant foot or coming across your body on your swing. With him, we have had a big emphasis on his elevation, and slowing down everything. Just swing easy. He has plenty of leg strength to get the ball down the field. We want to elevate the ball which will lead to good results. He has very high speeds on the ball, which usually has a lower trajectory. I am trying to emphasize you don’t have to swing so hard. Hit the ball off your foot with clean tempo and contact. That is going to give him good results.

DBN: Does it really “ice” the kicker when the opposing coach takes a time-out right before a game-winning kick, or is this just a television myth?

Ventrone: That’s a thing. For sure. You’re trying to get the player off rhythm. You call a time out and now they have to reset. And if you are outside, they have to figure out what the wind is doing now because it was different a few seconds ago when they were ready to kick. With a seasoned veteran you may not want to ice him, let him think you are about to call a time out and then not and now he has to actually kick the ball. It can be a cat-and-mouse game. Then it is louder at an away game.

DBN: Because Browns Stadium is located on Lake Erie, it is a very difficult place to kick on certain days if the wind is out of the Southwest?

Ventrone: If you are going that way into the open end of the stadium, you have to figure out what you can get out of a kick. The long kicks of 50-plus you just know you can’t attempt it.

Photo by Rod Mar/XFL via Getty Images

DBN: In all of these developmental leagues, they alter the kickoff. The XFL had both teams five yards apart with the kicker at his own 30, then neither team could move until the return man caught it. Now, that is the new NFL kickoff. Y’all worked on it already this spring. What are you expecting from this formation?

Ventrone: It gives a lot of opportunity and value to the players. Specifically, the backups. They are going to have more value to the roster. The play itself gives more excitement to the game if ran the right way. Hopefully, everyone will advantage of it. I think if you attack it as a kickoff unit you can have positive results. You prepare well you can do a good job on the return. We are excited. This kickoff play is going to give a lot of players so much opportunity to go out and make plays and make stats.

DBN: What are your thoughts about the XFL’s fourth-and-12 as an alternative to the onside kick?

Ventrone: I don’t like it. I think it is too gimmicky. If you are trailing in the game, why should you be able to get right back into the game right away? You had done more in the game. To me, that’s putting the team that’s better in a disadvantage. I don’t like it at all. Do more in the game. And if a team doesn’t make it, they put the team that is winning at an even greater advantage to make the score more of a hole.

DBN: The XFL only had two kickoffs returned for touchdowns. Mostly, the starting position of the offense was moved forward somewhat. How is the kickoff return package going to be different?

Ventrone: As far as the scheme, you are going to see a more traditional kickoff return, and punt return schemes. Depends on who you are going against, the personnel, who is the returner, the strengths of the returner, and the guys you have blocking. So, it could vary.

DBN: The Browns had some terrific kickoff and punt coverage guys last year. In the past, these were mainly backup running backs, cornerbacks, and linebackers – speed guys. Now with the kickoff being just 10 yards from the other team, does this change which players will play on punt and kickoff coverage teams to make tackles?

Ventrone: Our gunners led the league in tackles last year Mike Ford and Pierre Strong. This year we have three guys: Justin Hardee, Tony Brown, and Pierre. That is three really good guys. I am excited about that group. Tony I coached with the Colts, Justin was a Pro Bowler with the Jets a few years ago, and Pierre had a bunch of tackles for us last year as a backup running back. In my opinion, you are going to see less offensive players on this two coverage teams, and I think you will see more bigger bodies especially defensive ends that know how to use their hands more to work off blocks. It works when you have guys who are just special teams coverage guys. We lost both Mike (Ford) and Matt (Adams) and Jordan (Kunsaszyk) who I still talk to. I am excited about some of the rookies we have this year especially the linebackers.

DBN: The Browns signed Nyheim Hines strictly for special teams. Why is this an important signing?

Ventrone: This guy is the ultimate – a true pro. We drafted him in 2018 in my first year as a coordinator, so I have seen him grow up right before my eyes. He had a ton of production for me. In 2019, we set the highest punt return average in the history of the NFL. This kid just gets it. He works tirelessly at it. He is a gym rat. He understands that speed is a huge part of the game. He’s a track guy, and on Wednesday and Thursday practices, he would run two 100-yard sprints as fast as he could at the end of practice. I think he has the chance to become an All-Pro.

DBN: Is James Proche in the mix for the punt returner, and Jerome Ford for kickoffs?

Ventrone: Yes. James is more punt return, and Jerome for kickoffs. And Nyheim can do both along with Pierre. We also got some guys back there like Elijah Moore who can do both, Ced Tillman can do kick return, D’Onta Foreman as a kickoff returner. Another guy who could factor into punt returner is Jaelen Darden. The rookie that I like we signed out of South Carolina Ahmarean Brown. This kid’s got juice. We worked with him quite a bit over the spring. His ability to track and judge a ball improved a lot. He’s going to be a guy who will get some reps this preseason for sure. He can run.

DBN: Let’s go back to your playing days a bit. At Chartiers Valley High School you still own several track and field records. What were your events in?

Ventrone: When I went to Villanova, I wanted to run track but it was just too hard while also playing football. Both sports had conflicts in the spring. I ran the sprints and still have the 100-meter record. I ran 10.8. I was watching the Olympics and that is pretty slow. I was better at the shorter distances and still hold the school record. I also did the relay and the 4x1. I also hold the school records for the long jump (22’-6”) and the triple jump (45’-6.5”).

Editor’s note: The current world record for the 100-meter dash is 9.58 set by Usain Bolt

DBN: While with the Jets, you appeared to have earned a spot on the roster. Tell us about being unexpectedly released.

Ventrone: I had a really good camp and made the final roster, and we had just lost to the Patriots in the opening game of the season. I got called into the coach’s office the Tuesday after the game. I was young, I had just gotten married during the summer and we had signed a lease on a place in Long Island. They informed me I had been released. We packed up the house and left three hours later and drove to Boston where we had a place. It ended up being a blessing and signed with the Patriots two weeks later. If I hadn’t been released so that I could sign back with the Patriots my life would be completely different today.

DBN: You signed a three-year deal with the Browns and became a Pro Bowl alternate in 2010. That unit was ranked #1 in the league your first year of 2009 and also in 2010. Your thoughts?

Ventrone: We were #1 in back-to-back seasons. Not only did we have really good players who were unselfish, but we had Brad Seely who was a really good coach. He was my mentor for playing in the kicking game and learned a ton from him. He was a discipline guy who communicated well. He coached me in New England, Cleveland, and later in San Francisco.

DBN: In 2011 and 2012 you were elected the Browns Special Teams Captain. You were known as an intense player. There is a rumor going around that now that you are a Special Teams coach, in order to play for you a player must have his hair long and a wild look in his eyes. Any truth to that?

Ventrone: I would say this: if you are going to play for me you better be tough. That is the Number 1 trait for me. Hardworking and tough. And acceptance of where you are playing. My favorite thing about coaching is developing players. To look back at a guy that I coached and see where he started from Day 1, and where they developed their game, is important to me. I have coached five All-Pros in nine years. Those are pretty good numbers. I want to have the Number 1 unit with one or two All-Pros.

DBN: In the four seasons you played in Cleveland, none of those teams had anywhere close to a winning record. You left and signed with the 49ers where you were named Special Teams Player of the Year. Why didn’t Cleveland re-sign you after the 2012 season?

Ventrone: I was at a stage in my career where I was older and Cleveland hadn’t done well as far as wins went. And they were looking to get younger across the board and brought in younger bodies. Head coach Pat Shurmur had gotten fired and they hired a new guy Rob Chudzinski. In my opinion, when teams aren’t doing well, they are more reluctant to sign older players. They are looking to rebuild and start with their own guys. Jacoby Jones had run back a touchdown against the 49ers in the Super Bowl that year and my old coach is coaching San Francisco’s special teams. They wanted to add experience and so Coach Seely reached out. The day after the Super Bowl Brad texted me which said, “You’re signing with us.” To be on a good team was the most fun I had in football in my entire career. We went 12-4 and lost in the NFC Championship Game. Cleveland never offered me another contract while the 49ers were looking for a veteran presence, a leader, and was named Captain at midseason. San Francisco was really concentrating on getting their special teams better. I was voted by my peers as Player of the Year.

DBN: As a former player, what is your fondest moment of being a Cleveland Brown?

Ventrone: When we beat the Patriots in 2010. For a number of reasons. When you get cut by a team you want to have revenge and play well against them. It’s my favorite win. We won convincingly too 34-14. That was a home game. Peyton Hillis had a really good game. I recovered a fumble. I was Special Teams Player of the Week and had a bunch of people from Boston that came to the game.

DBN: Other than money, how has the NFL changed since you played?

Ventrone: Yeah, it’s way different. As a coach, I have noticed there is not as much time with the players as there was in the past. In my opinion, I feel that the players are underdeveloped. Their bodies aren’t being conditioned properly because we don’t have enough time with them to get them ready to go. You see more injuries today because there isn’t that time on task. When you’re running and training your body builds a callous on itself. When you don’t those reps you don’t get that time. That pounding.

You’re not going to be able to take the volume of reps. Everybody thinks that rest is great and it is and you need your rest, but you have to practice and you have to practice hard. If you don’t you are not going to be able to take the hits, to sustain. I think this is a huge difference and that’s like – the league. You don’t see guys like Nick Chubb every day. He is an old-school player. He is not flashy at all.

DBN: Last year was a success for special teams under your coaching. What are your expectations for the Browns special teams unit this year?

Ventrone: I want to improve in a number of areas. We left too many yards on the field on punt returns. There is an opportunity there to propel ourselves to give our offense a better field position. The kickoff play is going to be the faster we can understand it will play to our advantage. I want the Number 1 ranking in the league. This will be my 20^th year in the league and I have been on a Number 1 unit or Top-5 75% of my time in the league. I have been on some really good units as a player and a coach, and I know what that feels like. I want the Browns to be there. I want our guys to believe in it, to practice it, and to preach it. I am excited to do that this year.