Nemo Washington named Browns’ next Bill Willis Diversity Coaching Fellow

Since its creation in 2020, the Browns’ Bill Willis Diversity Coaching Fellowship has helped two aspiring pro football coaches establish careers in the NFL.

Ashton Grant, the Browns’ offensive assistant/quarterbacks, became an offensive quality control coach after he spent two years as a fellow in 2020 and 2021. Israel Woolfork held the fellowship in 2022 before becoming the Cardinals’ QB coach in February.

Nyema “Nemo” Washington wants to follow in their footsteps after an interesting — and initially unexpected — beginning to his coaching career.

Formerly holding three jobs at once as the assistant coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Wheeling University, Washington has been named the Browns’ next Bill Willis Diversity Coaching Fellow and will take his expertise to Cleveland to assist in coaching the skill positions. He’ll provide aid in the quarterback, wide receiver, running back and tight end rooms in 2023.

The fellowship was named after Willis, who, along with Browns teammate and legend Marion Motley, became one of the first two African-American professional football players in the modern era. Willis played with the Browns from 1946-53 and was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977.

As Washington settles into his first few days in the role, he’s looking at Woolfork and Grant, whom he shares an office with, as inspiration for what can happen when the hard work ahead of him is done well.

“It’s definitely inspiring and it gives you hope,” Washington said. “Right now, I’m just trying to learn from Ashton and create my own path by just working first. I don’t want to think about what they’ve got. It’s the saying, ‘Be where your feet are,’ and right now my feet are in the fellow part. It’s inspiring for sure, but I’ve just got to stay focused on what I’m doing now.”

That approach is how Washington managed to start a coaching career in football after his playing days came to an abrupt end.

Washington, a native of Seat Pleasant, Maryland,…