Cleveland Browns formerly beloved Bob Wylie no longer matters to Freddie Kitchens

Former O-line coach Bob Wylie, called the Cleveland Browns ‘Dad’ after a legendary rant, is now acting like a grumpy parent, insulting Freddie Kitchens.

Former Cleveland Browns offensive line coach Bob Wylie, who was called the Browns ‘Dad’ after a legendary rant, is now acting like a grumpy parent, insulting head coach Freddie Kitchens.

In his crazy rant, Wylie claimed that Ken Zampese was more responsible than Kitchens for the improved 2018 offense and that he got the job mainly because Baker Mayfield liked him.

Wylie became a folk hero on Hard Knocks for his rant about the complexity of modern exercise programs:

"“Did you know, World War I and World War II, all those guys that fought in that war … they did push-ups, jumping jacks, sit-ups, climb the rope and ran. None of this fancy stuff. And they won two World Wars!  Do you think they were worried when they were running across Normandy about freaking stretching?” — Wylie said via Charles Curtis of USA Today For The Win"

When one wardog snaps at an another, he is likely to get some fangs stuck in his rear end, which is about what happened to coach Wylie. Coach Kitchens stuck it to him.

"“Bob doesn’t wear the orange and brown anymore!”  he said at Monday’s press conference according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.  “I had the opportunity  to hire Bob. I didn’t want to.”"

Well, of course not.  Why would a head coach want to hire someone who had so little respect for him? Moreover, nobody was really sure that Wylie wanted to come back rather than retire.

He had spent considerable time — 22 days — in the hospital this off-season, and (please forgive me for pointing out the obvious) he may have some issues with physical conditioning. Spending 122 days in the hospital might be a subtle sign that it’s time to lessen the workload.  Retirement may not be such a bad idea.

Coach, you just do not look really good. Maybe it is a good thing to step down, take some time off and take care of yourself. Your fans, and more importantly, your family want you to be around for a long time.  

Earlier, Wylie had bared his teeth on the Zach Gelb Show, claiming that Ken Zampese was the real force behind the Browns’ offensive turnaround last year. He also whined that he and the other coaches were collateral damage after helping Kitchens get the interview for the head job, and insinuated that Kitchens only got the job because Baker Mayfield liked him. These comments are simply not acceptable for a fellow wanting to be hired by another NFL team.

Moreover, Wylie was not fired.

His contract was up and he simply became a free agent who could have signed with anyone in the NFL or college. It’s not the Browns that are keeping Bob Wylie out of the NFL. It’s the other 31 teams that apparently did not want to hire him when they had the chance. Publicly advertising resentments of your former boss is something that retired people do, not people trying to impress a potential new employer.

Deep down, Wylie probably knows this. Could it be that he’s simply angry at father time for causing him to retire before he was good and ready?

It’s unfortunate because 2018 was the greatest performance in Wylie’s career. The Browns offensive line finished the year with only five sacks in the last 8 games, and incredibly low total, after making a concerted effort to kill Tyrod Taylor and Baker Mayfield in the early going.

If the team gives up 50-60 sacks per year it’s unlikely that the quarterback is going to survive the season.   But if they are giving up fewer than one per game, it is usually a playoff-team-caliber performance.

The Browns had only one substitution the entire year.  Has that ever happened before in the history of the NFL? Desmond Harrison missed zero snaps in Week 1 through Week 8. Then Greg Robinson came in for him in Game 9, and that was it.

Zero missed snaps the rest of the way for Robinson. Also zero missed snaps all years for Joel Bitonio, J.C. Tretter, Kevin Zeitler, and Chris Hubbard.

That was good for a laugh, but on the other hand a young coach like Freddie Kitchens probably really is in fact concerned about stretching and all the most modern exercise methods. The team’s success depends a lot on being stronger and in better condition than their opponents, so most coaches will seek the most modern and advanced physical training possible. The Browns have staff for strength and conditioning.  Was Wylie on the same page with them?

Football coaches have to realize that focusing on the negative and airing resentments does nothing to advance their careers.  As for coach Kitchens, he does not have to prove anything to Bob Wylie. He does not have to threaten people with getting fired for breaching confidentiality.

Kitchens started off correctly.  Wylie isn’t wearing the Orange and Brown this year, and nobody is going to worry about what he says about John Dorsey or Freddie Kitchens or Baker Mayfield. We got their backs.

Yeah, the media is fickle, but we are not THAT fickle.  Cleveland Browns media are not going to get down on Mayfield, Dorsey, and Kitchens just because a disgruntled dad is howling mad.

Kitchens can afford to ignore the negativity and talk about the great job that Wylie did–and he did a GREAT job last year– and wish him well in retirement, and leave it at that.