GM Dorsey also out as Cleveland restructures
— The Browns are ringing in the New Year by blowing it all up again.
The Browns and General Manager John Dorsey mutually parted ways Tuesday after the two sides couldn’t agree on a restructuring of the organization.
Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam released a prepared statement about the move.
“We have a great appreciation for John and all he has done with the Cleveland Browns,” the Haslams said. “He has helped create a foundation that we need to continue to develop and build upon. While John helped greatly improve our team’s talent and we are excited about the core players on our roster, we fully recognized that our team did not meet its potential on or off the field
and additional changes in leadership give us the best opportunity for success in the future. As the role of the general manager continues to evolve in this league we felt there were areas that needed to be reassessed. Over the last 48 hours, we’ve had discussion with John about his role but could not come to an agreement on a position that would enable him to remain with the organization.
“As we conveyed on Sunday and our players reiterated yesterday, bringing in a strong leader with our head coach is our priority. Our process to improve upon the leadership will allow the flexibility to ensure we create the best partnership between our future head coach and general manager. We know the road of our tenure as stewards of this franchise has been a test of patience as we all want the success that our fans so deserve and we are relentlessly committed to and working towards. We fully appreciate, understand and empathize with our fans as we work towards our ultimate goal of building a championship-level football team.”
Dorsey released a prepared statement, too.
“When I took this job, the history of this storied franchise and the passion of our fans was an integral part of my decision,” Dorsey said. “It is that same understanding and desire to see these fans enjoy the success they are so deserving of that helped me conclude, along with Jimmy and Dee, that it was best to part ways as they embark on the search for a new head coach. I know how critical the relationship is between a general manager and head coach and I also know how critical it is that the Browns have a strong leader in their next coach. I have a great appreciation for the men and women I have worked with since being in Cleveland and my family has the same love and appreciation for this community and are thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this journey.”
Signs of Dorsey’s exit had been emerging since this past weekend.
With questions continuing to rise about the job security of Dorsey, the Browns postponed a news conference Dorsey had been tentatively scheduled to hold around lunchtime Tuesday at team headquarters in Berea.
A Browns spokesman said the news conference would take place Thursday afternoon. The spokesman said the change was made because the Browns weren’t able to secure a time Tuesday due to all of the coaching search meetings underway.
The bottom line is the future of Dorsey as GM was in jeopardy. Now he’s out.
Schefter reported Monday the new head coaches of the Browns and New York Giants are expected to have input on whether the GMs of those organizations stay or go. The Giants then announced they would retain GM Dave Gettleman. The Browns made no such announcement about Dorsey.
Another bad sign for Dorsey was vice president of player personnel Alonzo Highsmith, a top lieutenant of Dorsey, speaking Monday to University of Miami director of athletics director Blake James about a high-level administrative job at Highsmith’s alma mater, according to the Miami Herald.
The Herald’s Barry Jackson
reported Tuesday he spoke to Highsmith, who said his attention is with the Browns but things change sometimes. Miami is considering him and others for a chief of staff position, according to the report.
Dorsey loaded the Browns with talent since they named him GM on Dec. 7, 2017. Yet Dorsey leading the charge on the hiring of Freddie Kitchens as head coach was a strike against him. The Browns finished Kitchens’ first season as a head coach at any level with a record of 6-10 and fired him hours after Sunday’s 33-23 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2019 finale.
What also foreshadowed Dorsey’s departure was speculation fueled by some national reporters and former Browns GM Michael Lombardi about Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta receiving more power in this search.
DePodesta reportedly lobbied for Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski in the last search. Stefanski and Kitchens became the finalists and each received two interviews before Kitchens prevailed. A person familiar with the dynamics of the front office confirmed there was a divide between Dorsey’s scouting side of football operations and DePodesta’s research and analytics department.
By the way, Stefanski is in the mix again. The Browns requested interviews with him, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, and the franchise is also expected to ask former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy for an interview, a person familiar with the search confirmed Monday.
They also requested an interview with Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, NFL Network reported Tuesday.
‘I know how critical the relationship is between a general manager and head coach and I also know how critical it is that the Browns have a strong leader in their next coach.’ John Dorsey