The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
GM Dorsey: Owner want Jackson to stay coach
In an interview on WKRK-FM 92.3, Browns General Manager John Dorsey says ownership “has already spoken” on the question of the return of head coach Hue Jackson.
General Manager John Dorsey won’t say with 100 percent certainty he endorses Hue Jackson returning as Browns head coach in 2018 — but he makes it seem Jackson will be back for a third season.
The Browns were 1-15 under Jackson in 2016. They are 0-14 this season.
Dorsey on Dec. 19 was asked about Jackson’s future during an interview on “Bull and Fox” on WKRKFM 92.3, a radio partner of the Browns. Dorsey, hired Dec. 7 to replace Sashi Brown, answered by repeating what Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said on the same day hours before Dorsey was named general manager.
“Hue Jackson will remain our coach and will return for the 2018 season but we feel it is necessary to take significant steps to strengthen our personnel department,” Haslam said in a statement announcing he was firing Brown as executive vice president of football operations.
Haslam expanded on that the next day when he introduced Dorsey at a news conference in Berea.
“I think it would be a mistake to just zero in on ’18,” Haslam said. “We’re planning on Hue Jackson being our football coach for a long time and he and John working closely together for
a long time.”
“First off, I think ownership has said Hue will be back,” Dorsey answered in the Dec. 19 radio interview. “With that, I’m excited to work with (Jackson) here. I’ve been really impressed with how Hue messages to the player.
“Head coaches should be leaders of men. When I watch how he talked to the team and how hard guys play for him — that’s exciting. We’ve had great conversations and some of those conversations have been about building that strategic plan for the 2018 season as well. And I think as long as the head coach and the GM have the same mindset — I want to understand what makes the Browns offense successful by position. I want to understand what makes the Browns defense
successful by positional specifics.
“Once I get that clear objective, I can go get the types players for this coaching staff to move forward and create that competition that we can continually talk about.”
“So is Hue Jackson 100 percent going to be the coach Week One 2018?” Adam “The Bull” asked.
“I think ownership has already spoken on that question,” Dorsey answered.
“But if it’s your choice, would it be 100 percent?” the Bull persisted.
“Well, I think ownership has already spoken on that question,” Dorsey answered again.
Dorsey did not absolve Jackson for the Browns record, adding he is 0-2 himself because he has been general manager for two games.
Several national media outlets, including ProFootballTalk.com the day Haslam said Jackson will be back, predicted Dorsey will end up picking his own coach when the current season ends.
ESPN predicted a 69 percent probability of Jackson being fired. Notably, that prediction was made on Dec. 6 — one day before Brown was fired and Haslam came out strongly endorsing Jackson.
In another part of the interview on Bull and Fox, Dorsey backtracked from a remark he made on WKNRAM 850, saying in that interview the previous regime “didn’t get real players” for Jackson.
“I think it’s pretty easy,” Dorsey said on Dec. 19. “I’m not a professional wordsmith. My intent was to say we don’t have enough good football players . ... Are there some good young football players on this team? You bet there are. We’ll get more and we’re going to get some W’s, too.”
Dorsey would not spell out his plans to improve quarterback, but he did say, “The cupboard’s not bare in this (draft) class.”
The Browns with one more loss, or one Giants victory, will clinch the first pick in the 2018 draft. Quarterbacks Sam Darnold of Southern Cal and Josh Rosen of UCLA are likely to be the first two players drafted.