Dorsey will head search for new coach

General Manager John Dorsey is heading the search for the Browns next head coach, Browns Senior Vice President of Communications Peter John-Baptiste confirmed Nov. 7.

Dorsey and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam fired Hue Jackson and named defensive coordinator Gregg Williams interim head coach Oct. 29.

On the surface, it might seem obvious the general manager would lead the coaching hunt for a team that hasn’t had a winning season in 11 years.

But Haslam’s decision to give the responsibility to Dorsey means the Browns won’t be going through an outside firm to conduct the search as they did in 2016 when they went through the firm of Korn/Ferry, headed by former NFL assistant coach Jed Hughes – and came up with Jackson.

Hiring Jackson was viewed favorably at the time, but former director of football operations Sashi

Brown traded away the team’s assets in 2016 and 2017 and passed on highly regarded quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Deshaun Watson. The Browns were 3-36-1 under Jackson.

In fairness to Hughes and Korn/Ferry, they also suggested the combination of General Manager John Schneider and Coach Pete Carroll to the Seattle Seahawks and Coach Andy Reid to the Chiefs.

Korn/Ferry also linked Haslam and Dorsey in 2017, and so far that has worked favorably – so favorably that Dorsey will lead the search

to replace Williams without outside help.

This will be Dorsey’s first coaching search. He was hired as Chiefs general manager in 2013 – the same year Kansas City hired Reid. Dorsey worked in the personnel department of the Green Bay Packers prior to taking the Kansas City job, so he has never been in a position to hire a head coach until now. He will work in collaboration with Jimmy and coowner Dee Haslam, Jimmy Haslam’s wife, to make the final decision on the next coach.

Dorsey can go several routes to hiring the Browns’ ninth head coach since they returned to the NFL as an expansion team in 1999. He can reach for an energetic, offensive-minded college coach, go after a current NFL assistant or hire a coach with NFL headcoaching experience.

Mike McCarthy, current head coach of the Packers, could be on Dorsey’s short list if McCarthy is fired at the end of the season. Dorsey is very familiar with McCarthy from their years together (2006-12) in Green Bay.