Browns hand head coaching role to Chudzinski

(Reuters) - The Cleveland Browns appointed Rob Chudzinski as their head coach on Thursday, the new man brought in after Pat Shurmur was fired at the end of last month following a disappointing season.

Chudzinski, who spent the past two seasons as offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, becomes the 14th full-time head coach for the Browns.

The 44-year-old will take over a team that ended their 2012 campaign with a 5-11 record after finishing the season with a 24-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Chudzinski, who was tight ends coach for the Browns in 2004 and their offensive coordinator from 2007-08, would be officially introduced as head coach on Friday, Cleveland said in a statement.

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by John O'Brien)