The Browns decided to stay in-house. Or, more accurately, in the kitchen. On Wednesday afternoon, the Browns will formally announce the promotion of offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens to the head coaching position, according to ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen (on Twitter).
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Kitchens proved his value after an in-season promotion gave him the keys to the Browns’ offense. Under Kitchen’s tutelage, rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield thrived and became a legitimate contender for the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The Browns closed the season 5-3 with Kitchens donning the headset and it appears that he is being given more credit for the turnaround than interim head coach Gregg Williams.
Early on, the Browns were connected to some big-name coaching candidates such as former Packers coach Mike McCarthy and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The Browns did not seriously pursue either coach, choosing instead to talk with Williams, Jim Caldwell, Dan Campbell, Matt Eberflus, Brian Flores, Mike Munchak, Nick Sirianni, and Kevin Stefanski.
Stefanski, the Vikings’ offensive coordinator, was believed to be a finalist alongside Kitchens. Ultimately, he lost out, which means that Brad Childress is probably not on his way back to Cleveland after all.
Wise choice. Then again, I was excited when they hired Hue Jackson.
Yep. Got to keep the culture that has led to misery for years.
Freddie wasn’t a part of that culture, and that was made abundantly clear when he took over as OC and created an exciting and extremely productive offense that helped lead the team to several victories.
We no longer feel miserable. Do you?
You said it before I could
Are you under the impression that he “created an exciting and extremely productive offense”?? Do you realize the time it takes to implement a new offense? Terminology, scheme, playbook, etc….. by NO means am I saying Hue Jackson deserves credit… but at the same time, kitchens did not install some grand offensive scheme 3 quarters of the way through the season. Play calling might have been better, and the teams attitude in general seemed to change (in my opinion, that has a lot to do with Greg Williams). But let’s not act like kitchens implemented this brilliant offense mid-season. No. Just no.
It doesn’t matter how great your offense is if you don’t know how to run it. Hue and Haley didn’t know how to run it. Kitchens does.
If anything, you just made Kitchens sound even better. He took an offense that wasn’t really his own, and succeeded with it anyway.
Bingo.
I seen this coming, because they didn’t want to lose him too any other team as head coaching or offensive coordinator gig
YES. This is what I wanted.
Lol! The browns stay in the realm of losers! Should have hired either josh McDaniels or mike McCarthy
Go hate elsewhere.
McDaniels is a proven loser and d bag.
D bag yes but loser no. His super bowl rings say so.
McDaniels was not leaving NE and McCarthey is stuck in the stone age with his play calling
I think Kitchens is way ahead of McCarthy or McDaniels in the way to handle today’s players. I think this is a great hire for the Browns and the Haslem ownership has finally made the right decision
Very pleasantly surprised. He may not have the experience other candidates had, but he seems to have the creativity, the drive, and most of all the support of that locker room. The Browns are quickly becoming a pretty good team and Freddie’s been a part of that… and without the baggage Gregg Williams brings.
If the Browns fans are going to celebrate this hire they need to do it right…..
link to youtube.com