Mike Holmgrem Would Quit If He Was Browns Coach After Trent Richardson Trade

Mike Holgrem has slammed the Cleveland Browns for trading star running back Trent Richardson. The former Packers and Seahawks head coach said Thursday he would quit if he was Rob Chudzinski.

Holmgrem is taking the trade really hard. Then again, he was the Browns GM when they traded up in the draft to get Richardson in 2012. Now a new regime, led by Michael Lombardi, are making the decisions. Step one is to leave their own mark on the franchise and rebuild from the ground up.

Lombardi’s first earth-shaking move was the trade of Trent Richardson to the Colts. Cleveland received a 2014 first round draft pick in return.

The trade is also a sign the Browns don’t see Brandon Weeden, another Holmgrem draft pick, as a franchise quarterback. He’s out this week with a a sprained thumb and it’s fairly suspicious Cleveland has decided to Brian Hoyer over second string quarterback Jason Campbell.

When asked about the trade, Holmgrem spoke very candidly:

“Philosophically, if I am the coach and someone came in anywhere and did that, I’d say ‘OK, fire me, or I’m going to quit. Or we’re going to both go into the owner and talk about this and then we’ll see who’s still standing.’ How do you make your team better by trading your best player? He’s the best offensive player. He’s a valuable, valuable guy.”

Mike Holmgrem is clearly still passionate about football. It sounds like he’s a little insulted the Browns would so quickly work to dismantle what he was trying to build, too. His anger makes sense.

Fortunately for the Browns, Holmgrem is not the coach and doesn’t have the chance to quit.

To replace Richardson the Browns signed Willish McGahee. We’ll find out this Sunday if it was a good move or not.

Do you agree with Mike Holmgrem? Would you quit if you were Rob Chudzinski?

[image via Wikimedia Commons]