BEREA — The “Big Show” has become the big boss of the Browns.

Mike Holmgren accepted owner Randy Lerner’s offer to become club president Monday night. Holmgren, who coached 17 years with Green Bay and Seattle and went to three Super Bowls, will not coach the Browns.

“We are pleased to announce that Mike Holmgren has agreed to join the Cleveland Browns,” Lerner said in a statement. “We will spend the rest of the week finalizing the details of the agreement and will make a formal announcement next week, at which time we will make him available to the media.”

Holmgren wasn’t quoted in the statement.

Holmgren, 61, will be in charge of the entire football department, much like former Super Bowl coach Bill Parcells in Miami. Holmgren’s nickname is “Big Show” because of his commanding presence and 6-foot-5 frame.

Whether he takes on the role of general manager is likely one of the details being worked out. He was GM for the Seahawks from 1999-2002, but was terminated from that job. He remained the coach and took them to the Super Bowl in 2005.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported the deal is in the range of $50 million for 10 seasons.

One of Holmgren’s first orders of business will be to decide the future of first-year coach Eric Mangini. The Browns have won two straight but are 3-11.

Holmgren said Friday on a radio show it’d be tough to fire a coach after one season, but it’s not out of the question.

“I’d be the first one to tell you that’s not very fair,” he said. “But sometimes the tough decisions aren’t fair. But I would do everything in my power to make sure it’s the right one and that everyone gets a chance to prove themselves.”

Mangini was asked if he’d like clarity concerning his future.

“What I’m looking to do is coach the team. That’s it,” he said Monday.

Holmgren’s first head coaching job in the NFL came with Green Bay in 1992. He won the Super Bowl in 1996 with Brett Favre, lost in 1997 and left after the 1998 season for Seattle, where he spent the next decade. He stepped down after last season to spend time with his family.

Holmgren was itching to get back to work and flew to town early last week to meet with Lerner. He came away impressed.

“Great people, great owner,” he said Friday. “I just liked everything I heard.”

Holmgren held out hope he could return to the Seahawks to run their football operations, but after a meeting Saturday night, a deal couldn’t be reached.

That was welcome news to Lerner, who targeted Holmgren as his No. 1 choice when he decided to restructure the front office at midseason. General manager George Kokinis, who will take the Browns to arbitration in hopes of being paid about $4 million he’s owed, was fired Nov. 2, a day after Lerner stated his desire to find a “serious, credible leader.”

Holmgren has the credentials to fit that description.

He began his career as a high school coach in California, worked in college and became an assistant under Bill Walsh in San Francisco. He helped tutor Joe Montana and Steve Young with the 49ers, then took an unknown in Favre and became a hero with the Packers. One of the streets outside Green Bay’s Lambeau Field was renamed “Holmgren Way.”

Holmgren made the playoffs in 12 of his 17 seasons as coach and went 161-111 in the regular season. He was 13-11 in the playoffs.

He molded late-round draft pick Matt Hasselbeck into a Pro Bowl quarterback in Seattle, where Holmgren ended a 10-year playoff drought in his first season on the job. Including his time with Green Bay, he became just the third NFL coach to take a team to at least seven straight postseasons. He and John Madden are the only coaches with at least one playoff win in five straight seasons.

Holmgren acknowledged during the radio interview that there’s “a lot of work to do” with the Browns, but added he loves a rebuilding project. He’ll inherit one, with the Browns certain of their eighth double-digit-loss season in 11 years.

Holmgren’s four-year tenure as Seahawks general manager had its ups and downs. He drafted running back Shaun Alexander, who became an MVP, and Pro Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson and traded for Hasselbeck. But four of his six first-round picks aren’t considered a success.

Mike Keenan formerly held the title of president. He will transition to chief financial officer.

Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.

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