• Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

Joshua Gunter/The Plain DealerBernie Kosar is no longer on the sidelines when it comes to helping out the Cleveland Browns again, as he has reached an agreement with owner Randy Lerner to assist the coaches and provide assessments back to Lerner.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Former Browns quarterback

Bernie Kosar

has reached a working agreement with owner

Randy Lerner

to serve as a team consultant.

No formal announcement may be made and no specific duties have been outlined. But the two men reached an accord last week and Kosar spent several days in the inner sanctum of the football organization now controlled by coachEric Mangini.

According to a league source, Lerner values Kosar as "another set of eyes." Kosar essentially reports to the owner.

Lerner has tried to woo Kosar into a role with the Browns for several years, including an informal overture to be club president a few years ago. But Kosar consistently declined to relocate from his home base in Weston, Fla., because of business and personal commitments.

Kosar, 45, has gone through some highly publicized tough times, first a messy divorce from his wife,Babette, and then personal bankruptcy. In the bankruptcy filing in June, Kosar listed $1.5 million in debt owed the Browns.

In between those traumatic changes of life, Kosar acquired executive experience as president of the Cleveland Gladiators. The club folded after one season when the Arena Football League went out of business.

"I've got a little more time now to do it," Kosar said of accepting Lerner's invitation. "I'm getting my personal life in order. I still miss football and the Arena thing whetted my appetite."

Kosar said he was unsure how much time he would spend in Cleveland. He has four children living in Weston. He said he doesn't know where the situation will lead.

"I want to make sure it's comfortable as a fit and make sure I can help," he said. "I want to be sensitive to all the time and work the coaches put into the job. They've been great to me."

Kosar does not have a history with Mangini, who joined the old Browns as a ballboy and then PR intern in 1994 -- the season after Kosar was released. Mangini, of course, would then be taken under the wing of coachBill Belichick, with whom Kosar sparred.

The irony is that Kosar and Belichick grew closer long after their infamous parting and Mangini and Belichick grew far apart. The common ground of Belichick and Mangini is their insistence on strict discipline to build a solid team structure.

Truth is, Kosar always respected that aspect of Belichick's coaching.

John Kuntz/The Plain DealerCan the brown pants really be winning over Tony Grossi?

THE KICKOFF
The last time the Browns beat the Steelers, they wore orange pants. Eleven losses later, they play the Steelers Sunday and will wear brown pants.
Why do I bring up something that has nothing to do with winning or losing? Well, I have a confession to make. The brown pants look is growing on me.
When the Browns first donned them in that 2008 exhibition game in the Meadowlands, N.J., against the Giants, the look was a shock. The fact the Browns fell behind in that game, 30-3, I’m sure had nothing to do with the brown pants. It was guilt by association.
The pants were mothballed until this season. Eric Mangini chose them as the Browns’ road uniforms with white jerseys. The Browns lost in Green Bay and Chicago in preseason and then lost in Denver and Baltimore in the regular season.
Then they finally won wearing brown pants last week in suburban Buffalo.
That was an ugly win on the field. By comparison, the pants weren’t that bad.

NORTH NUGGETS
The Ravens’ signing of former Giants Super Bowl heroDavid Tyreewas not to bolster their receiving corps as much to help their special teams. They lost aceBrendon Ayanbadejowith a season-ending injury. ... Bengals quarterbackCarson Palmerkeeps getting nicked up. Now he’s got a sprained left thumb. ... The Bengals are the first team since the league merger in 1970 to play three games in a row in their division and win all by three or fewer points. They beat the Steelers (23-20), Browns (23-30 in OT) and Ravens (17-14). ... The Steelers have given up more points in the fourth quarter (55) than the other three quarters combined (43). ... Steelers defensive coordinatorDick LeBeaumade it clear he would startTravis Kirschkeahead of rookieZiggy Hoodto replace injured defensive end Aaron Smith. At 35, Kirschke is the oldest player on the Steelers. Hood, 22, is one of the youngest. LeBeau, who played linebacker at Ohio State for Woody Hayes in the 1950s, told reporters, “Woody Hayesonce said you lose two football games for every freshman you have in the lineup.”
—Tony Grossi

"He knows you need structure in order to win," a league source closely familiar with Kosar said. "When you don't have structure, it becomes chaos."

Nobody knows how this dynamic will work in Lerner's organization chart. On the business side is PresidentMike Keenan andDavid Jenkins, vice president of finance and administration. On the football side is Mangini, General ManagerGeorge Kokinis, andDawn Aponte, vice president of football administration.

Then there's Kosar andJim Brown, executive advisor, reporting directly to Lerner.

Fun with numbers:The Lions must have put together a good coaching staff.

Head coachJimSchwartz came from the Titans. He was defensive coordinator last year. They are 0-5 without him.

Defensive coordinatorGunther Cunningham came from the Chiefs. He was their coordinator last year. They are 0-5 without him.

Offensive coordinatorScott Linehan came from the Rams. He was their head coach last year. They are 0-5 without him.

Trojan reunion:Three former USC linebackers will be starting when Houston visits Cincinnati.Brian Cushingis Houston's strongside linebacker.Keith RiversandRey Maualugastart on the outside for Cincinnati. They started together at USC for three years.

"Both of those guys are going to be great pros because they want to be good so bad," Cushing said of Cincinnati's Trojans. "Rey is a really physical player. I think he's a downhill kind of guy in the sense that the longer he plays and the longer he's in the NFL, the more of a force he'll be.

"Keith has always been athletic, kind of a rangy kind of guy. He's real smart."

Cushing's not too shabby, either. He leads the Texans with 39 tackles, second among rookies to the Rams'James Laurinaitis.

Freak show: Tennessee defensive endJevon "The Freak"Kearselost some fans last week.

Kearse was informed about 1 1/2 hours before kickoff that he would be inactive against the Colts. Instead of supporting his teammates or just watching the game, he drove home.

"First off, I wanted to hang out with my family and friends that I had in town," Kearse told reporters. "And second of all, I didn't think one person not on the sideline was going to make a difference in this game. I used that time to hang out with my family and not get stuck in traffic leaving the game."

Tennessee lost, 31-9.

Titans coachJeff Fisher told Kearse he was inactive because he didn't look healthy.

"Once I got the official word, I jumped back in the Benz and went home," Kearse said.

Fisher said Kearse wouldn't be fined. But Kearse has lost his starting job, probably for good.

Quick slants:The Giants, 5-0, have trailed for 18:31 in 300 minutes of play. ... The Texans' defense leads the league with 22 three-and-out series. ... LinebackerDerrick Johnsonof the Chiefs is available through trade. The former No. 1 pick has been an underachiever and doesn't fit in the plans of the new Chiefs' regime. ... Chiefs General ManagerScott Pioli has collected six of his former players with the Patriots. The latest is special teamer and linebackerJustin Rogers. Other ex-Pats areMatt Cassel,Matt Gutierrez,Mike Vrabel,Corey MaysandRyan O'Gallaghan. ... Vikings quarterbackBrett Favreis 5-0 for the first time in his 19-year NFL career.