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Just hours after Ray Horton was released from his contract with the Arizona Cardinals, he was hired by the Cleveland Browns as defensive coordinator.

Horton's contract is for four years and $8 million, according to Arizona Sports' Kyndra de St. Aubin.

It was expected the coach would find work quickly and initial speculation led to Cleveland.

While Bruce Arians was finishing up his introductory press conference as the Cardinals' next head coach, Horton to Cleveland was confirmed first by ESPN's Adam Schefter and then the team.

Horton told de St. Aubin he received a phone call Friday from the Browns to discuss the job with him. He had interviewed with the Browns for their head coaching position earlier in the month and felt it was a good interview.

Horton believes the Browns' defense has a ton of upside and is an extraordinary young team.

Cleveland is assembling a new staff, led by first-time head coach Rob Chudzinski. The Browns have also landed Michael Lombardi as the vice president of player personnel.

Horton is flying to Cleveland Friday night to meet with team officials.

Horton interviewed for the Cardinals' head coaching job, and has been the architect of their defense over the last two seasons. In 2012, Arizona ranked 12th in the league in total defense.

In Arizona he was the defensive coordinator for Ken Whisenhunt, who took a job as the San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator on Thursday.

Horton said he got a phone call from Whisenhunt Thursday night, and his former boss thanked him for his time in Arizona and said maybe they would work together again in the future.

Arizona Sports,

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    desert designer wrote...
    Thanks Ray
    January 18, 2013 3:59 pm
    Good luck coach Horton. I'm sure you felt like you were not given enough respect and we don't blame you for leaving. You will be HC somewhere eventually just keep on doing what you are doing and keep the faith. This franchise is a septic pit of incompetence and I am embarrassed, this city deserves better.
  • Abuse
    Cochiloco72 wrote...
    Good for the Cardinals
    January 18, 2013 5:57 pm
    Here is my opinion: Ray Horton was a good DC, still perfecting his craft. Great against the Pass, destroyed against the run. Personnel of course dictate that. Look at his resume, on average he has only stayed with a team for 3 years give or take. He's still learning. Was anybody in his interview on this panel that heard what was told to him? Probably not. Then I read he went off on Steve Keim when he was told he wasn't getting the HC job.
  • Abuse
    Cochiloco72 wrote...
    Continued...
    January 18, 2013 5:58 pm
    Be a professional, nobody stopped him from interviewing with the 6 or 7 other teams. Nothing is ever final until your name is on the contract. He will probably be a good HC some day, but it isn't going to be today or with the Cardinals. We needed a total make over and if memory serves correctly didn't we try for Bowles first before settling with Horton? I think so... Give it a chance.
  • Abuse
    Cochiloco72 wrote...
    Continued...
    January 18, 2013 6:02 pm
    Also if memory serves me, didn't we try for Arians when Haley left for KC HC job? I believe so.. This man has been coaching since the late 70's. Been around, established, well liked in the coaching world. Brings a different style of offense and has connections. The cardinals need all the help they can get at this time and we needed an established coach with a staff that could come in and correct some of the issues we currently have. Now will be amazing? Who knows, but there is always HOPE for a new year and new style. Go #Redbirds till I die!
  • Abuse
    nonsoon wrote...
    Simmer down!
    January 18, 2013 8:21 pm
    All you bailing from the bridge are probably just bandwagon fans from the Warner SB timeframe anyhow. Now to add some level headed text: BA seems to be a very good higher. Dude is intense and in the current NFL environment offense is key to keep up. Although many of us wanted RH to get the job ultimately I think the Cards have gone in the proper direction. RH was awesome in his role and players liked him but that doesn't mean he was the right guy for this job. I've been a fan since '88 and have seen a lot of bone-headed moves..I don't see this as one of them at all.
  • Abuse
    nonsoon wrote...
    Not to mention...
    January 18, 2013 8:36 pm
    Most of you are the same folks babbling every week how we are wasting Fitz's career and he should be traded for his own sake. Really? You wanted a defensive coach to fix that???? Here's a thought. Maybe, just maybe we start to utilize the talent we have on offense. I know it's tough with the cast of character at QB but is it too much to think an Alex Smith couldn't improve things? That's a step in the right direction while we look for a longer term answer. When was the last time you saw Fitz go up and snatch a deep ball from the defender? '09??????
  • Abuse
    Sillysoft wrote...
    Why was Horton Retained?
    January 18, 2013 10:30 pm
    Why was Horton not fired after Whiz was fired? Fans are really asking this? Ok since it has to be spelled out. He was retained because the Cards didnt know who the next HC was. If they went with someone else than Arians then that HC might of want to keep Horton, duh! Geez I swear some fans nit pick for the sake of arguing. Bottom line Horton is gone and he would of been gone after next season anyway if he wasnt named head coach. And the guy was interviewing for the HC position with other teams, so he had no problem leaving the Cards. Oh but the Cards FO are the bad guys with no loyalty, right.
  • Abuse
    gmoney wrote...
    The Cardinals chose the right guy
    January 19, 2013 9:50 am
    They just should have let Horton go when they fired Whizenhunt. They allowed Horton to interview for other jobs because they had no choice in the matter. League rules say they cannot stop him if he is looking for a promotion. He could not interview for other DC jobs though. Arians had every right to bring in his own guy and the front office should have let Horton know he was not really in the running. Why even interview Horton if you felt you wanted to go with an offensive guy?
  • Abuse
    nonsoon wrote...
    They should have fired Horton???
    January 19, 2013 10:11 am
    Are you crazy. If they would have let RH go with Whiz the Cards fans (and you so-called fans) would have started an online mutiny...bashing the owner and every member of his staff. Firing him would have been political suicide and you know it. We waited, hired a HC, and he decided he didn't want to retain RH. So be it..... You can't have it both ways,....jeez I swear some of you don't even think about the things you post.
  • Abuse
    gmoney wrote...
    @nonsoon
    January 19, 2013 5:48 pm
    You know full well that the Cards management had no intention of hiring RH as the HC. Why prolong the nonsense, just fire him with Whizenhunt! Political suicide? Who cares, what is the difference that they have now fool? I am not a so called fan of the Cardinals, I cannot stand them, I just know that what they did in this search and what they did to Ray Horton made no sense as usual with the Cardinals!!!
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