The factory of sadness continues. The Cleveland Browns have fired head coach Hue Jackson, according to this report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
While the Cleveland Browns have two more wins this year than 2017 under Jackson, expectations have been raised as well. Cleveland has dropped their last three games and four of the last five, tumbling them back into the AFC North basement with a 2-5-1 record. Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh ended their already faint playoff hopes.
Jackson finishes his time with the Browns with an almost unbelievable 3-36-1. He was hired in 2016, leading them to a 1-15 record while failing to win a game in 2017. Ownership decided to stick with him, for reasons that were unclear to me, before finally firing him today.
Before the Steelers game, reports floated around that Jackson was on the hot seat. His .205 win percentage is second worst in NFL history, trailing only former Eagles/Steelers head coach Bert Bell, who would go on to be NFL commissioner from 1946 to his death in 1959.
It’s unclear who will take over as interim head coach. Both coordinators, Todd Haley and Gregg Williams, have head coaching experience. We’ll update this post when that information is announced, which I imagine will be shortly. Al Saunders’ name, a senior offensive assistant, has also been floated as a possibility. However, he’s never been a head coach before.
The Steelers went 1-0-1 against the Browns this year, tying in Week One before beating them 33-18 yesterday. Cleveland hasn’t defeated Pittsburgh at Heinz Field since 2003. Under Mike Tomlin, the Steelers are 20-3-1 against the Browns. Their last loss came in 2014, a 31-10 blowout.
Jackson makes the sixth straight Browns’ coach to be fired after playing the Steelers.
UPDATE (1:13 PM)
Here’s a bombshell. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley has been fired too. Wowzers.
UPDATE (2:14 PM)
Though a previous reported tabbed Al Saunders as interim HC, that report appears to be an error. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will take over as head coach. Williams is possibly most well-known for his “Bounty Gate” scandal in New Orleans, leading to a year long suspension by the NFL.
