Kitchens hired by Browns

CLEVELAND >> Freddie Kitchens had something on his coaching resume no other candidate could match. He made Baker Mayfield a better quarterback.

Kitchens, who helped Mayfield turn his rookie season into a record-breaking one during an impressive eight-game stint as the Browns offensive coordinator, was named Cleveland’s 17th fulltime coach on Saturday, capping a remarkable personal rise up the coaching ranks.

His next goal: Take the Browns where they’ve never been — the Super Bowl.

“It’s an honor to be named the head coach of the Cleveland Browns,” Kitchens said in a release. “As I’ve said before, I think Cleveland and I get along pretty well. My family and I have really enjoyed our time with this organization and in this community over the last year.

“There are a lot of great people in this front office that I’m excited to continue to work alongside with a singular focus on winning. I’ve been to one Super Bowl that didn’t end the way I wanted it to and that disappointing memory is what really drives me. Our goal is to work extremely hard to earn the right to raise that Lombardi Trophy for our fans and this city.”