SATURDAY, 8:22pm: The Browns are expected to fire both Pettine and Farmer, perhaps as early as Sunday night, according to Cabot. Haslam has already begun the process of finding replacements and could start scheduling interviews tomorrow night.
SATURDAY, 8:45am: According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Pettine explicitly asked Haslam whether he’d be retained for next season. The owner reportedly refused to answer.
“Pettine actually asked him, ‘Have you made a decision about my future?’ And Haslam would not answer, and that essentially ended that meeting,” Rapoport said on NFL Network (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com).
FRIDAY, 8:18pm: Browns staffers came out of a Friday meeting with head coach Mike Pettine with the sense that he’ll be fired in the coming days, sources told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Sources also indicated owner Jimmy Haslam informed Pettine that a decision won’t be made until Monday, one day after the 3-12 Browns end their season against AFC North rival Pittsburgh.
Further, a move in the personnel department Monday could precede a possible Pettine firing. That would put second-year general manager Ray Farmer in jeopardy, as Cabot reports. During their run as GM and coach, Farmer and Pettine have combined to lead the Browns to a 10-21 mark. Haslam preached stability regarding both jobs over the summer, but that was before a disastrous 2015-16 campaign that will likely force him to make major changes.
Regardless of whether Farmer or someone else is the Browns’ GM, there will be obstacles standing in the way of finding a quality Pettine replacement. Cabot points to a lack of past stability with Browns coaches, plenty of other openings around the NFL, and the absence of a franchise quarterback as issues Cleveland will have to overcome. Since Haslam took over the team in 2012, he has already fired two head coaches. Pettine would be the third, and Haslam’s perceived trigger-happy nature in firing coaches might scare off candidates this year.
What a joke this organization is! How is a team supposed to be even somewhat successful when you have a new head coach / coaching staff every year?
Easy, do a good job right of the bat. Belicheck was 5-11 then 11-5 playoffs and a home win. That’s how!
And half the Browns fans and all the local press wanted him fired too.
Horrible reporting. You should seriously lose your job for not checking your facts. That makes you no better than these two. Farmer didn’t hire Pettine, he was hired after Pettine, so he didn’t choose him as is the norm for most GM’s. He was forced on him. Not a good recipe for success.
Don’t think letting Pettine go is the answer. He seems to have the team’s ear and they do play for him. Get the product on the field in-order should be the first goal.
Yeah, he’s not the best, but he’s probably somewhere ~20th in terms of coaches, way better than where most other components of the team would rank. Unless he’s had a huge role in drafting, scouting, and signing free agents, I don’t think firing him accomplishes anything.
He’s a loser in a loser organization. The GM is a joke and the owner doesn’t want to be in Cleveland. NFL screwed up giving this proud city this owner. Now everybody suffers. Too bad Cleveland can’t start over w a different owner.
Too bad the fans can’t replace the owner!
Get Martin Mayhew from the Lions. He is the best out there and will be worth millions. Get Buster Crab for quarterback and Browns will be ready for summer pre season double headers again.
Without a good QB, another stud receiver, a star RB and better defensive depth, to a certain point it won’t matter who is the head coach of the Browns! This is way bigger than Coach Pettine. It starts at the top. The owner and the GM are huge issues. In comparison to the other AFC Central teams the Browns skill players would be rated lowest, especially at QB and WR. They have had THE WORST drafts in the league over the last few years. They struck gold with Joe Thomas and Alex Mack…and that’s it so far (we’ll see how Shelton does in year two). Hopefully they can re-sign Thomas and Mack or they’ll be back at square one! Either Goff from Cal or Lynch from Memphis would be great for the Browns to start over at QB. I believe they need to admit their mistake with Manziel and move on from him…he probably needs a new place too.
You mean qb s like mark ripien, dour Williams and the St.Louis qb can’t even remember him name. All super bowl winning qb. Marino and kosar were great and no wins. It’s a team effort. You need at least a competinate qb run and defense, mostly a function of lineman. On defense include a middle linebacker and a strong safety.
Come back to Buffalo!
If they don’t fire Farmer, I’m done as a Browns fan after 53 years.
Well due to the news your futile fanship continues
I think if he used Manziel more widely he could have been more successful
Should have let Pryor play more he’s fast should have went for the long ball tallest receiver they got and he’s fast to don’t understand some of the things the coach has done this season not to mention the time clock