Browns fire Kitchens after dismal season
The Cleveland Browns fired coach Freddie Kitchens after a disheartening season that didn't come close to meeting expectations.
Kitchens was let go Sunday night, just hours after the Browns were beaten by the lowly Cincinnati Bengals (2-14) to finish 6-10 and miss the playoffs for the 17th straight year.
Earlier, Kitchens held out hope he would be back for a second season, saying after the 33-23 loss in Cincinnati, “I'm going to show up tomorrow (Monday) and do my job.”
But owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam decided one season was enough and parted ways with Kitchens, who was a surprising hire a year ago because he had no previous head coaching experience. His successful eight-game stretch as the team's offensive coordinator to end 2018 had sent his stock soaring.
Kitchens was plagued by numerous mistakes in his rookie season, with game management and an inability to get Cleveland's offense rolling among his most notable flaws.
Kitchens is the fifth coach fired since 2012 by the Haslams, who have shown little patience.
Cleveland hasn't had a winning record since 2007 and has gone through seven coaches in that 12-year span.
What direction will the Haslams choose to go in looking for their next coach? Former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy was thought to be a candidate last year, but did not interview with Cleveland. He has close ties with Browns general manager John Dorsey and others in Cleveland's front office and his track record would be appealing.
Rivera to meet with Redskins: Ron Rivera will meet with the Washington Redskins on Monday to discuss their head coaching vacancy.
Rivera coached the Panthers the past nine seasons and took them to a Super Bowl before being fired earlier this month.
Rivera recently emerged as one of the top candidates to coach the Redskins, who face a potential organizational upheaval after going 3-13. President Bruce Allen’s role atop the football operations department is in jeopardy with owner Dan Snyder mulling changes at every level.
Coaching was certainly going to be one of those areas. Jay Gruden was fired after an 0-5 start this season, and interim coach Bill Callahan went 3-8 the rest of the way.
Along with Rivera, former Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis has been connected to the Redskins, and former Ohio State and Florida coach Urban Meyer watched a recent game in Snyder's suite.