Mike Holmgren will retire; Browns new owner bringing in Joe Banner

“We’ve been very public in Cleveland that we’re going to look at everything, except the helmet tone,” Haslam said. “We do want to enhance the stadium to make a great experience for the fans. What that looks like, I don’t know. I’m not a stadium guy. We’re going to look at it, because it’s all about the fans.”

Haslam has been clear about his desire to fix up the stadium. In August, he discussed the stadium with the Cleveland City Council. An offhand remark about putting a dome over the facility sparked a small tsunami of shock.

Buzz about the changes in management burned have burned up the wires in the months since August, when Haslam took the first steps toward becoming the owner. News of Holmgren’s exit and Banner’s hire were finally confirmed on Tuesday morning, setting off another wave of speculation about what exactly happened behind the scenes.

“Mike has decided that with our becoming the owner that his role would obviously change,” Haslam revealed. “Mike was brought in to be the president, and I think in a lot of ways the de facto owner. Mike has decided at the end of the year to leave the Cleveland Browns and effectively retire.”

That brings the status of general manager Tom Heckert into question, and according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, he’s not optimistic about his job status:

When the rumors regarding Banner and Holmgren first started, there wasn’t much said about Heckert, and to this point, this is the only thing of substance that has been said regarding his future with the organization.

What we don’t know is when, exactly, Holmgren’s “retirement” will take place -- now or at the end of the season. Several reports have suggested that Holmgren will be out within 24 hours while others say it will come at season’s end.

“For now” being the key words there. What’s the point of keeping Holmgren on until the end of the season? Really, what is the point? He won’t be making any of the big decisions anymore and he isn’t in it for the longterm. There is no point to keeping him around, especially now that the news is out there publicly.

When NFL teams hire new people into leadership positions, it’s usually not good for those who are already in place. New head coaches clean house on the coaching staff and new GMs bring in their own scouting department.

There are conflicting reports on when the move will actually happen -- now or at the end of the season -- but the end result is the same: Holmgren is out in Cleveland.

With Haslam officially becoming owner, a shakeup in management atop the Browns has begun. Via ESPNNFL:

There are conflicting reports as to the ultimate fate of current Browns’ president Mike Holmgren. ESPN’s Ed Werder is reporting that Holmgren will be out within 24 hours, while his colleague Adam Schefter says Holmgren will retire at the end of the season.