The Browns fired head coach Hue Jackson, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) reports. The decision comes one day after the Browns lost to the rival Steelers, dropping their record to 2-5-1 on the year. 
[RELATED: Browns Fire OC Todd Haley]
Jackson has gone 3-36-1 as the Browns’ head coach, so his dismissal seemed like an inevitability. New GM John Dorsey (perhaps with some pressure from ownership) gave Jackson a reprieve upon taking over, but the Browns have not been able to capitalize on their stockpile of talent under Jackson’s guidance this year.
It’s possible that Jackson’s rift with offensive coordinator Todd Haley played a role in his midseason dismissal. Their issues were very apparent during the “Hard Knocks” miniseries and, recently, Jackson pushed for more involvement in offensive decision-making.
Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was promoted to head coach on Monday afternoon, replacing Jackson. Meanwhile, the Browns promoted assistant Freddie Kitchens to the interim OC role to take over for Haley.
Dorsey, owner Jimmy Haslam, and other “power brokers” within the organization met on Monday morning to determine the best course of action going forward, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link) hears. At first, it sounded like the team opted to fire Jackson and stick with Haley. Instead, they got rid of both men.
It sounds like we can count Baker Mayfield among those that are in favor of the change. Rapoport (Twitter link) hears the rookie quarterback is not going to miss the 53-year-old coach.
A fun fact from Schefter (on Twitter): the last six Browns head coaches – Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, Pat Shurmur, Rod Chudzinski, Mike Pettine, and Jackson – were fired after the second Steelers game of that season.
Jackson had two years remaining on his contract, so the Browns are contractually obligated to pay him through 2019 season. His salary may be offset by another job, however.
I am shocked!…it took this long
About time!
So…. I’m guessing Todd Haley won that battle. Too bad. Was hoping he could’ve done some good things in Cleveland.
Nobody has deserved to be fired more than Hue Jackson in the history of the NFL.
Except Marvin Lewis
Marvin Lewis at least MADE the playoffs.
I mean they never really gave him a real roster until this year …and its not like haley is going to do much better he has problems everywhere he goes. his limited success came with warner and big ben.
Haley got fired
But he was in the middle of his best season yet!
Trick or treat!
FINALLY!!!!!
Does Haley take over as Interim Coach?
Al Saunders will take over in Interim.
Josh Cribbs!
He’ll yeah, Cribbs!!!
Make that Gregg Williams
I really needed this to get through a Monday
After he destroyed my fantasy team
He forced you to draft players from a crappy team?
His salary may be offset by another job, however. Lmaooo that’s funny, no team is dumb enough to hire him.
As a coordinator or position coach
how much do high school coaches make these days?
No coach was going to make the Browns a winner with what Jackson had to work with. He could probably get a job tomorrow with one of Ohio’s college teams if he wanted to.
I wonder who Jackson is going to blame for being fired… glad we won’t have to hear his excuses for why his teams never win or perform or why he was out coached. Etc.
Other than Shurmur did any of these guys even resurface in the NFL as a HC? Can’t remember if Mancini did or not
Pettine is the DC for the Packers.
no. But all work As a DC or an OC somewhere. Mangini was the 49ers head coach flrna season. Not sure what he’s doing now though.
Yeah Vince Lombardi would have won three Super Bowls with this team.
Perhaps there is an in between of 3-36-1 and three Super Bowls? dumb comment by you.
The point is that he had absolutely nothing to work with until this year. No one expected them to go 11-5. He was set up to lose. Plus now Mayfield goes on to an interim coach and then another head coach. If they were going to fire him they should have after last season. Did they really fire him or n a 2-4-1 record?
He would have been able to keep his job if he put his massive ego aside and get along with the coaching staff and put the needs of the team ahead of his own… there is much more than the poor record and the 53 man roster he was given that justified this firing.
Only in your dreams. Bellicheck only managed a 45% win rate when he coached the Browns and those teams had more talent than Jackson ever had.
Only one coach has a worse winning percentage in the history of football and that guy was part owner of a team in the 30s. Really makes you wonder what Hue had on the owner of the Browns.
Always seems more interested in power plays and letting everyone know that he was in charge instead of winning games.
Surprised it took this long for the Browns to dump him.
And so it begins…..again. Sigh…..
Gonna be a lot of good HCs available this offseason. Browns should be able to snag a good one.
Gonna take much more than that. Lot of folks consider Billicheck the GOAT yet even he couldn’t win more than 45% of the time when coaching the Browns.
I think they’re going to have to to either overpay a good coach or go for a damaged rep guy like Meyer or McDaniels. I don’t think the Browns are the least talented team in the NFL; Would Riley be tempted to get into NFL coaching with the QB that got him buzz as a future HC? Could be a Rams East style setup with a young offensive HC and maybe Williams back at DC to fill the wise old mentor role?
Urban Meyer isn’t coming to the NFL unless it’s New England.
What the Cleveland Browns need is… uh…
…yeah, I got nothin’.
They have had a plan for every letter in the alphabet and still keep shooting themselves in the foot. Ironically they hold a series edge over three teams (Cowboys, 49ers and Patriots) that built dynasties.
Todd Haley also fired.
Wow they Whacked Haley as well
Everyone knows you can’t put out a contract on the boss and leave a loose end like “Fredo” around.
No one left to throw under the bus! All that talent with not many Ws. I’m not a browns fan but fear them going forward with all that talent
all what talent, exactly?
Hue deserves to be fired over his record itself. Haley deserved to be fired for being a back stabbing trouble making malcontent.
I’m guessing the GM only keeps his job because he didn’t draft Trubrisky….lol.
What a waste. Why didn’t they just do this after last season instead of wasting everyone’s time this season with hue
Mark it down, Mike McCarthy will be the head coach of the Browns next year. Green Bay will show him the door at the end of this season and the current Browns front office, who all came from Green Bay recently, will fall all over themselves to hire him.
Could be
Look forward to Urban Meyers being the new head coach at Cleveland!!!