Cleveland Browns Keep Hue Jackson Amidst Worst Season Ever
By Erik Lambert
John Dorsey has to be wondering what sort of situation he stepped into with the Cleveland Browns after the season that just concluded.
Here it is, the second team ever in NFL history to finish an entire year without a win. They went 0-16, joining the 2008 Detroit Lions to hold that dubious honor. Not only that, but it’s after a 2016 season where the Browns finished 1-15. In other words head coach Hue Jackson is responsible for going 1-31 in his first two years with the franchise. Even if he went undefeated next year he’d still be far below .500 during his time in Cleveland.
Yet in spite of that Jackson isn’t the man under the microscope who may need a head examination. That would be Jimmy Haslam and the rest of the Browns ownership. According to local Cleveland sources, they are adamant that despite the ugly finish to this season Jackson will be back again in 2018. A man who has one victory in two years. It’s difficult to explain any sort of logic behind that decision other than a true unwavering belief that former GM Sashi Brown was the root of all the problems.
#Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said he TOLD new GM John Dorsey that Hue Jackson would return as head coach, that there was no debate. Says, "I don't think Hue has lost (his) magic."
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) December 31, 2017
Haslam continues to show lack of awareness
One thing has become clear about Haslam during his time as Browns owner. He has zero feel for what his job should be. He fires coaches and GMs when they shouldn’t be fired. Then he waits too long to fire those that should be. It’s the latter case this time with Jackson. Sure he may have been dealt a bad hand by Brown, but 1-31? There is no excuse in the world that can justify a record that putrid. Yet somehow the coach managed to convince people he deserves another shot.
Can Dorsey actually do enough in one off-season to help Jackson get off the canvas? Yes Cleveland has loads of high draft choices and money, but even then it’s a stretch to think there will be a turnaround drastic enough at this point. Besides that it might not be the wisest move to shove a coach down Dorsey’s throat like this. It rarely ever works out favorably for the franchise.