Brown out; Dorsey hired as new GM
As far as front-office turmoil goes with the Cleveland Browns, at least this time it was short.
Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam fired vice president of football operations Sashi Brown on Thursday, and then just hours later, named former Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey as their new GM.
Although Brown was able to acquire future assets during his tenure, he missed on quarterbacks in the draft and the Browns went just 1-27 under his watch.
“We are thrilled to have John Dorsey lead our football operations,” the Haslams said. “John has been
immersed in the NFL for 26 years, won two Super Bowls, built sustainable winning football teams and is highly respected for his football acumen. We know we have a critical and very positive opportunity ahead of us to profoundly impact the foundation of this football team.
“Bringing in someone of John Dorsey’s caliber, his track record of success and his experience, significantly strengthens our opportunities to build a winning football team and that has been, and continues to be, what we want for our fans.”
Dorsey was fired by the Chiefs in June, ending a successful four- year run during which the team went 43-21 and advanced to the postseason three times.
Along with firing Brown, the Haslams said coach Hue Jackson will return in 2018.
“I appreciate Jimmy saying that,” Jackson said after practice as the Browns ( 0- 12) prepared to host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. “My focus of coming here to the Cleveland Browns is to coach the football team and help get this organization turned around. I haven’t been able to do that yet. That is something that I think we all want to do.”
The moves suggest that Jackson won a power struggle with Brown, the team’s former legal counsel who had no previous experience running a team.
Dorsey has a longer resume. While with Kansas City in 2013, he traded for quarterback Alex Smith, who has developed into a Pro Bowler. He also selected All- Pro tight end Travis Kelce, cornerback Marcus Peters and receiver Tyreek Hill.
“Football is what I know, it is what I love, it is what I have worked my whole career at and I thrive on every element that goes into building a winning football team,” said Dorsey, who worked in Green Bay’s front office before joining the Chiefs. “I have spent a majority of my football life with two franchises that also have storied history and I think I have a feel for the mentality of the fans in Cleveland and what it would mean to recreate the success this franchise once had.”
Although Brown positioned the Browns to be better in the future by acquiring more draft picks — five in the first two rounds next year — passing on quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Deshaun Watson the past two years, along with other questionable decisions with the roster, sealed his fate.
“Our win-loss record since I became executive vice president isn’t going to cut it,” Brown said in a statement released by the team. “We embarked on a mission to rebuild the Browns for long-term, sustainable success. … Obviously, the Browns have not yet achieved the turnaround we wanted for a franchise and the best fans in the NFL, who deserve it more than any other in sports. I know that turnaround is coming.”
It’s not yet known whether Haslam plans to retain chief strategist Paul DePodesta or player personnel director Andrew Berry.
Brown’s firing didn’t cause an uproar among the players, some of whom have been hardened by the constant turnover.
“I’m just trying to digest everything,” said 10-time Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas, lost for the season because of a triceps injury. “I’ve got to think through a lot of things first before I start talking about it. I’m not sure what the firing says about the plan. It’s hard to say if it was a plan issue or a personal issue. I’ve been here through a lot of hirings and firings. Some of them have definitely been more of a personal issue.”