PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – For those Pitt fans of a certain age it may pain you to hear that Alex Van Pelt has now been in the NFL for a quarter century. The Panthers great is now in a position to help knock the hometown Steelers out of the playoffs.
Van Pelt’s latest coaching stop is with the Cleveland Browns
“I hear about him being a Pitt guy about every day,” said Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.
For good reason, Van Pelt holds the Panthers all-time passing records with 11,267 yards, 2,570 more than Dan Marino in second place.
“It’s special, but it’s a playoff game,” Van Pelt said Thursday. “Every one of those wherever it is, is special. Doesn’t really mean anything different. I won’t have any friends in the stands so that won’t be a part of it.”
What is different for Van Pelt is he’s back in the playoffs, but this time is calling plays because Stefanski is not allowed to make the trip due to a COVID-19 positive test.
“I have a ton of confidence in AVP,” Stefanski said. “He is so involved in every decision that’s made offensively, schematically, personnel-wise. Obviously with the quarterbacks.”
“Hopefully it will be very similar,” Van Pelt said. “We’ve had a lot of success offensively. My hope is at the end of the game there’s not too many times where he’s yelling at his TV wondering ‘what in the heck are you doing’?”
The Pittsburgh native can draw on a lot of experience. He was Aaron Rodgers quarterback coach in Green Bay for four seasons, including the year he was NFL MVP in 2014.
Van Pelt also spent a couple of years as a quarterbacks coach in Tampa, before that was offensive coordinator for the final of five seasons with the Bills.
Van Pelt also played 8 years with Buffalo. Originally drafted by the Steelers in the no-longer existing eighth round in 1993. He also spent two years on the Bills Radio Network and we know everyone that works in radio has a firm grasp of football.
“AVP has been a huge part of our offenses success,” Stefanski said. “He’s a huge part of play calling. I may be the one sending it in there, but there is a ton of dialogue occurring between me and AVP and the offensive staff. He knows the things we believe in. He knows how we play.”
“He spends every waking moment with the quarterback, which is important. When you are talking about trying to get him in a rhythm, a comfort level and those type of things. I have a ton of confidence in AVP’s ability to get the job done.”
That time has paid off. Baker Mayfield has thrown one interception over the last nine games. Winning six of those games including last Sunday in Cleveland where he also rushed for 44 yards.
“He’s playing as well as anybody,” Van Pelt said. “I’m very proud of him. He’s very coachable. He takes coaching right to the core and he does things the way you want things done.”
It’s the third meeting between the two teams this season, so both teams know each other well. Even though the lineups have varied between the first two matchups.
“You obviously don’t want to go down there and do the same things over and over because they know us well too,” Van Pelt said. “There is a fine line to do what you do and what you do well and find different ways to do it.”
Stefanski is revered as one of the best play callers in the NFL. But the Browns head coach believes their preparation will have them ready.
“I put my finger on a chart and I read,” Stefanski said of game-day play calling. “It’s not very hard. AVP can definitely do that better than I can.”
“We won’t miss a beat. I really believe that.”