Zak Gilbert was in the right place at the right time.
Fired by the Raiders as P.R. director after owner Mark Davis reportedly was miffed at the manner in which he and his late father, Al Davis, were portrayed in a Sports Illustrated article, Gilbert has landed in Cleveland as the team’s new V.P. of communications.
The Browns opted to part ways with former P.R. director Neal Gulkis before Gilbert became available.
“We are thrilled to add someone with Zak’s skills and background to lead our communications department,” Browns CEO Joe Banner said in a statement issued by the team. “He brings nearly 20 years of expertise on both the collegiate and professional level. We are happy to welcome him to the Browns organization.”
The Browns need him. With a federal investigation creeping up the ladder at Pilot Flying J, the truck-stop company run by Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, the Browns will need Gilbert to give the media some good stuff on which to focus as the team tries to achieve the kind of true stability it hasn’t had since returning to the league in 1999.