The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
SEASONAL HOPE
New Browns coach doesn’t have all the answers, and that’s fine
Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens smiles as he answers questions during a news conference Monday in Cleveland. For coverage of a bevy of changes in the Browns organization and other sports,
“If you don’t wear brown and orange, you don’t matter.” — Browns new head coach Freddie Kitchens, Jan. 14, 2019
Freddie Kitchens made a bold statement about five minutes into his introductory news conference on Jan. 14 at FirstEnergy Stadium, a statement that will prove the search committee chose the right man for the job if it holds true, or one he will be remembered by if he follows the path to the unemployment line his eight predecessors in the last 20 years have taken.
“Since 1999, there have been ups and downs with this organization,” Kitchens said. “And since 1999, I understand, and I relish the fact there have been more downs than ups. But that ends today. I promise you that.”
“It drives me crazy that people are happy with 7-8-1 (2018 record). It drives me literally crazy. We all understand that it was an improvement, but under no circumstances is that ever going to be acceptable. We only have one goal here and that’s to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Everything we do moving forward is going to benefit us moving in that direction.”
Kitchens will call the plays on Sundays, just as he did in the last half of 2018 to earn the interview with general manager John Dorsey and the search committee that led to him getting the job.
Last month Kitchens famously said, “Who the hell is ready to be a head coach?” during one of his weekly sessions with the media. He doesn’t profess to have all the answers even after getting the job, and that’s refreshing. It’s refreshing if he doesn’t change because it means he’ll listen to the coordinators surrounding him.
“The product you put on the field is in direct correlation into how the coach is,” Kitchens said on Jan. 14.
“That’s the way I’ve been my whole life. Am I ready or not? I don’t know. Were you ready to be a parent?
“There are going to be hard times. I don’t know if we’re going to win every game or not. But I do know we’re not worried about the result of the individual game. We’re worried about how we compete and how we play, what type of emotion and passion we play with. At the end of the day we need to match the passion that our fan base has, and we’ll be just fine.”
Kitchens beat out six other candidates for the job. Two of them, Gregg Williams (Bills and Browns interim head coach) and Jim Caldwell (Colts and Lions), had previously been head coaches in the NFL. Dan Campbell, the assistant head coach/tight ends coach of the Saints, had an impressive resume coaching under Sean Payton in New Orleans.
Kitchens beat them all. Dorsey said Kitchens was a unanimous choice of the seven-person search committee he headed. So what made Kitchens stand out?
“His vision for the future of this organization, his belief and trust in the team effort,” Dorsey said. “His ability to be collaborative in his thinking, how he galvanized a group of young men and taught the “we” mindsets. He knows many people in the National Football League. The (new) coaching staff understands what’s about to happen under the direction of Freddie Kitchens. You can just feel his passion and depth of knowledge for this game.”
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam was not front-andcenter with Kitchens and Dorsey during the news conference. He is letting Dorsey run the football side of the business, and that is another refreshing change, but he likes the choice the committee made.
“He’s a real guy,” Haslam said after the news conference. “I think he’ll relate great to our players. He’s put together a great coaching staff. We’re really excited about working with him. I think he’ll do a great job.”
Hiring day always leaves fans and media feeling good about the future. Even Hue Jackson in 2016 “won the press conference,” as the saying goes, and then went 3-36-1 in 2 ½ seasons.
This time it feels like the Browns really did get it right. It is the first time they hired a full-time head coach from within the organization since Marty Schottenheimer replaced Sam Rutigliano in 1984.
Schottenheimer had the good fortune to have rookie quarterback Bernie Kosar as his quarterback in 1985 in his first full year as head coach.
Kitchens got a head start in 2018 with Baker Mayfield and now he can build on what he started.
The only time the Browns hosted an AFC championship game in their history was Jan. 11, 1987. The Broncos beat them, 23-20, in overtime.
The AFC championship next season will be played on Jan. 19, 2020. Circle the date.
Reach Schudel at JSchudel@News-Herald. com. On Twitter: @jsproinsider