The Cleveland Browns should not have fired Mike Pettine

Dec 20, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine watches from the sidelines during a game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks won 30-13. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports /

Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has set the team back several years by firing former head coach Mike Pettine.

The newest name being linked to become the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns is Hue Jackson, offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Reports differ, but Jackson is at least the current favorite in Cleveland. He also happens to be a top candidate with the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers, both of which are more appealing than the job with the Browns.

But this entire process is unnecessary and should never have had to happen at all.

Jimmy Haslam gave his word to the Browns players, coaches, and fans alike that he would not set this team back by starting over in 2016.

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He gave his word, which should mean something when it comes from the owner of the team. He can’t get fired for making any decision, so his word should hold true.

It could be seen as naive to put faith in the word of a billionaire businessman who could have faced federal prosecution only a few years ago, but he is not doing his credibility any favors by reversing a concrete statement four months after it was said.

His thought process was laid out clearly after the firing of Ray Farmer and Pettine were announced. He got too excited after a 7-9 finish last year and, for some reason, assumed the team would improve this year.

That is, improve with a free agent class highlighted by Josh McCown, Brian Hartline and the infamous Dwayne Bowe.

This was not a team constructed for success, and that falls on the now unemployed Ray Farmer. He had horrible drafts and did even worse in free agency, making him the obvious fall guy.

It was all but known that Farmer was on the way out, but then the reports of Pettine being fired began to form during the week leading up to the Week 17 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This seemed odd at the time, given Haslam’s initial declaration to keep some sort of structure within his organization.

Then the news of Pettine’s firing came out and Browns fans lost faith in the owner who brought some sense of hope to the franchise just a few years prior.

The rationale behind the decision did not make much sense. The team did go 3-13 this season, but that is not entirely Pettine’s fault. He was not given much to work with by Farmer, while also having to deal with the circus that was Johnny Manziel.

Pettine knew he was giving his final press conference as a Browns head coach and had to deal with the media only wanting to know about Manziel. How is a coach supposed to be successful when the most high-profile player on the roster acts like a teenager whose parents went out of town and left countless bottles of liquor in the mansion?

Then there is the problem known as Justin Gilbert, whose own absurd actions were overshadowed by Manziel, his fellow first round draftee.

It can be argued that the use of two first round picks, in the same draft, on Manziel and Gilbert set this team back two or three years.

Even with the disastrous job done by Farmer, the players on the roster played hard for Pettine all season. That in itself is a testament to him deserving at least another season as head coach.

Farmer could still have been fired, which would have worked as Haslam wants the new coach to assist in choosing a general manager.

But Jimmy Haslam is a businessman who wants long-term failures to turn into instant success. He is going to learn the hard way that truck stops are a bit different than an NFL franchise.

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