Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said today’s decision to fire head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley is the best move for his franchise moving forward.
“We did what we thought was best for the organization. I think we put the organization in a better place today than it was yesterday,” Haslam said.
Haslam seemed to acknowledge that the reported power struggle between Jackson and Haley was a problem, saying, “We’re not going to put up with internal discord.”
Browns G.M. John Dorsey offered similar thoughts on the decision to move on from Jackson and Haley.
“What we’re trying to do is create the best environment moving forward, not only for the players but for the coaching staff,” Dorsey said.
Haslam did defend the decision to bring Jackson back this season, rather than firing him at the same time he fired former G.M. Sashi Brown.
“Hue was put in a pretty difficult situation his first two years with the talent we had. We thought he deserved another chance and unfortunately it didn’t work out the way we hoped it would,” Haslam said.
Haslam also said firing people is always a difficult decision.
“I personally spent a tremendous amount of time with Hue Jackson,” Haslam said. “This was not an easy decision. I know Todd a little less well because he hasn’t been here as long but Todd moved his family here so that was not an easy decision either.”
That’s a difficult decision that Haslam has made a lot during his tenure as the Browns’ owner. He hopes the next coach he hires won’t have to be fired as quickly as so many of the previous coaches he’s hired.
