Cleveland Browns: Hue Jackson is best hire since 1999
The Cleveland Browns made in a great decision by choosing Hue Jackson to lead this team in 2016 and beyond.
The Cleveland Browns go through head coaches at an alarming rate.
Hue Jackson became the ninth head coach hired by the Browns since 1999. To put that number into perspective, the last coach the Browns had before moving to Baltimore was Bill Belichick. He has been coaching the New England Patriots since 2000.
None of the previous eight coaches were given much time to work with. Romeo Crennel lasted four full seasons, while Butch Davis resigned in his fourth year. Davis actually led the team to the playoffs in the 2002 season, although Crennel is responsible for the team’s best record since 1999, when the Browns went 10-6 in 2007.
The constant turnover at the position is enough to distrust anything a Browns front office says about a newly hired coach, but things seem different with the hiring of Jackson.
The new front office went out and found a coach who has NFL head coaching experience. Eric Mangini is the only other former Browns coach since 1999 who had experience as a head coach in the NFL.
Mangini had the experience, but he never really earned the respect of his players during his tenure in Cleveland.
Jackson is having the opposite impact on his team, as several players have spoken out about how Jackson is already getting them excited for the season by building a positive culture.
Sashi Brown said Hue Jackson's ability to coach & relate to players one of the primary reasons team hired him #Browns
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) May 14, 2016
#Browns OLB Paul Kruger said HC Hue Jackson has one of the most consistently positive personalities he's ever been around.
— Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) April 19, 2016
That positivity should help Jackson serve as the longest-tenured Browns coach since 1999. He is coming into a situation where there is no immediate pressure to be a great team. His job is to work with the young players given to him by the front office, building a winner over time.
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The rebuilding process is all about development, so Jackson’s instant impact on the roster is a great sign. He knows this roster is not filled with a great deal of talent, but if he can make them believe they can be great, there may be surprises awaiting fans this season.
This type of respect was not given to any of the former coaches so soon, which is a testament to how great of a hire Jackson was.
Just think back to the confusion associated with the decision to hire Pat Shurmur back in 2011. Mangini was fired on January 3, and before fans could begin looking at possible candidates, Shurmur was hired ten days later.
The decision was rushed and Shurmur came in unprepared and unable to motivate his team at any point in his two years as head coach. His half-hearted “see you Wednesday” speech after a rare win was cringeworthy.
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Jackson is the opposite, as he is radiating excitement whenever speaking about his players and the upcoming season. He may not have a great record after a season or two, but he will be building up his team to be a contender, given the front office can hit on most of the draft picks and avoid too many busts.