Cleveland Browns to hire Hue Jackson as head coach

The Cleveland Browns have reportedly agreed to make Hue Jackson the 16th full-time head coach in franchise history.

Less than two weeks after the end of the 2015 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns have found their head coach, as the club has reportedly has agreed to make Hue Jackson the team’s 16th full-time head coach.

Jackson was a target of the Browns from the start as they entered the search for a new head coach after firing Mike Pettine after just two seasons and a record of 10-22. Jackson, who had a second interview with the Browns on Tuesday, had also interviewed with the San Francisco 49ers, and was scheduled to have an interview with the New York Giants on Thursday, but Cleveland owner Jimmy Haslam was apparently able to seal the deal before the Giants had a chance to make their pitch.

After his first interview with the Browns, multiple media sources were reporting that Cleveland was poised and ready to make a “strong push” to sign Jackson as their coach. Haslam did just that as he did not make the trip to the annual owners’ meeting, instead sending his wife and co-owner, Dee Haslam, while he went and conducted a second interview with Jackson.

Mike Silver was the first to report the signing, quoting Jackson as saying the Browns made him feel “comfortable.”

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis had nothing but good things to say when talking with Silver about Jackson’s desire to return to the head coaching position.

We’re happy to help Hue,” Lewis said. “We know how rough it was for him four years ago, when he basically went through hell, and how hard it was for him to work his way out of that. He has been a great addition to our staff for four years, in ways that people don’t even understand.

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“Now, he’s getting the attention he deserves, and we’re very happy for him. We want to support him in any way we can.”

After only a one-year stint in Oakland as head coach in 2011, in which the team went 8-8 for the Raiders’ best finish since 2002, Jackson is looking to prove he can be a successful head coach in this league.

Jackson had been with the Bengals since 2012, but had only been in the offensive coordinator role since 2014, when Jay Gruden was hired to be the Washington Redskins’ head coach.

This season Jackson helped lead the Bengals’ offense to the No. 7 ranking in points per game, a playoff berth and an AFC North Division title, the second in his four years with the team.

One of the first things on Jackson’s list as head coach will be to help the team decide what to do with quarterback Johnny Manziel. According to multiple reports, the news does not look good for the former first-round draft pick:

Getting Jackson is big for Cleveland not just because they were able to hire a big-name talent, but also because, for the first time in recent memory, they were also able to get one of their top choices for the job.

And for once, other teams seem to be upset they missed out:

This is hopefully one step closer to removing the moniker that no one wants to come to Cleveland.

With Haslam saying that the plan was to hire the coach first, and have him work with Haslam to find the next general manager, the anticipation is now building to that announcement.

Nonetheless, the Browns and Haslam have certainly made it clear that they are want to win, and are ready to do it now with this hire.