Carlynton grad Angela Baker gets chance to coach with Cleveland Browns

Angela Baker’s journey through football has provided her with a lot of exciting experiences, but her most recent one might be the best yet.

On Monday, Baker, a Carlynton alum and Pittsburgh Passion quarterback, started working with the Cleveland Browns through the Bill Walsh Diversity Coach Fellowship, a program that allows young coaches the opportunity to gain experience with an NFL team.

Baker, an eight-year veteran with the Passion who was a first-team Women’s Football Alliance All-Star last season, is one of six coaches involved with the program.

“It’s pretty cool. Growing up a Steelers fan, I can’t say I was focused too much on the Browns,” Baker said with a laugh. “But I’m excited for the things that are happening with their organization right now. (Browns coach) Kevin Stefanski himself, I’ve had conversations with him and just the way he wants to turn it around. I’m optimistic about it.”

Baker said she heard about the opportunity through former teammates, including Browns chief of staff Callie Brownson.

When Stefanski was hired in the offseason, he brought in Brownson and made her the first full-time female coach in Browns history. From there, Brownson, who played with Baker on Team USA, reached out.

“(Brownson) gave me a call and said that there was an opportunity,” Baker said. “They were especially trying to give some females that opportunity, and she asked if I was interested. Cleveland obviously isn’t too far, so I said, ‘OK, I’m in.’ It’s pretty cool to be working with the organization.”

Although the fellowship has been done remotely because of coronavirus restrictions, Baker has enjoyed her experience.

She has spoken with Stefanski and has been sitting in on quarterback meetings with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, the former Pitt QB.

“So far, it’s been pretty good,” Baker said. “Hearing their lingo and the way they process everything and their verbiage for everything is definitely different than what I’m used to in the women’s league. But as soon as you learn that translation, that’s the greatest thing about football, it’s like a universal language. Everyone just speaks it slightly different.”

The first week of the fellowship has been basic stuff, as the coaches have looked to bring along the rookies and get them accustomed to their system. The other coaches participating are Elena Grigelevich, a coaching analyst pursing her master’s at Bryant; former NFL player Leonard Hankerson; Akron tight ends coach Chris Cook; Holy Cross assistant Ashton Grant; and Southeast Missouri State assistant Ray Smith Jr.

In the final two weeks of the fellowship, Baker will get to go more in-depth with the positional meetings and see how the quarterbacks learn.

Baker has been involved in football since she was young. She played flag football with local boys and girls throughout her youth and participated in NFL’s Play 60 organization. She also had the opportunity to play at the Steelers training facility.

When she got to Slippery Rock, she found out about an opportunity with the Passion and gave it a try.

She watched and waited as former Passion quarterback and current co-head coach Lisa Horton controlled the offense and led the team. Then, when Baker stepped into the quarterback role, she realized how much she loved the sport and helping others learn it.

“To take that on the last two years and just being there made me realize I really enjoyed teaching the game,” Baker said. “Whether it’s teaching the game to our rookies or teaching it to other people that might not watch, I just enjoy it and realized I like helping people and I like teaching people.”

Baker is back at Slippery Rock pursuing her bachelor’s degree with a coaching focus and has the ultimate goal of earning a position at the collegiate level. Her fellowship with the Browns has helped her learn that much more.

“It’s amazing as a female to be able to have that opportunity and to see those doors continuing to open, but also with as welcoming as Coach Stefanski and the other coaches have been,” Baker said. “They are super encouraging. They are open minded about everything, and they respect my history with the game and want to teach me what they know.”