Browns hire Scott Peters as assistant OL coach to Bill Callahan

Scott Peters

Former NFL offensive lineman Scott Peters brings a background in MMA and Jiu Jitsu to his first full-time coaching gig.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns offensive linemen better get ready to think outside the box and inside the ring.

The Browns have hired former assistant offensive line coach Scott Peters, who brings his extensive background in MMA and Jiu Jitsu to his first full-time coaching gig, working with OL position coach Bill Callahan.

A former NFL offensive lineman, Peters not only opened an MMA gym after he retired from football in 2008, but has also won multiple Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world championships. He also founded “Tip of the Spear,” a nonprofit program that seeks through technique and training to assist players in avoiding concussions and other serious football-related injuries while at the same time improving performance.

“It's great to have a former player in that position because it's instant credibility with the players,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said in a release provided by the Browns. “I think his unique experience as a technician and how he comes at it from a different angle, from a Jiu Jitsu angle, really is a unique way to coach the players in terms of hand placement and hip movement.”

Shortly before Peters retired, he helped launch The Lion’s Den MMA Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona. In addition to training UFC fighters such as Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez, Peters won two Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world championships in submission grappling.

Peters plans to “get my hands on guys physically, move them around, show them the postures and do those kind of things where they go ‘Oh, that’s crazy or that’s pretty cool.’”

In addition to traditional OL technique, he’ll incorporate many of the fighting skills he’s learned over the years.

“You can’t just say, ‘Hey, this is going to work,’’’ he said. “You have to show them and let them feel it so they understand why. That’s one of the things that I think I do best. Teaching is more than just standing there with a clipboard and a whistle. Demonstrations are huge. With my abilities as a former player and understanding situations, it’s invaluable. To try to articulate details, I don’t think I always had that when I was playing.’’

In 2012, Peters founded what eventually became the safe football program known as “Tip of the Spear,” first implementing it with the University of Washington football team. From there, he branched out to hundreds of youth and high school programs, while consulting with more than 50 NCAA programs and NFL teams.

Along the way, Peters was introduced to Callahan and the two developed a mutual respect.

“There’s not a better line coach in the game,” Peters said. “He gets his guys ready and I’m excited about the challenge here. I’m excited to be a part of it and get my hands on and be able to learn from Coach Callahan and also apply a lot of the things that I know that hopefully could bring a lot of value to the team.”

A technician, Peters was “blown away with his level of detail. We hit it off pretty well and kept in touch and had the opportunity to come here.’’

A fourth-round pick out of Arizona State in 2002, Peters played for the Eagles, Panthers, 49ers, Giants and Cardinals, and wrapped up his career with a trip to the Super Bowl XLIII, where the Cardinals lost to the Steelers.

“I know the guys here have had a lot of coaches come through and I think that building a really good brand identity for the O-line is such a big thing,’’ he said. “It starts with the details and it starts with the foundation.”

It’s also safe to say the linemen will have more fight in them this year.

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