Forget the Browns’ 1-19 record under Hue Jackson. Regardless how Cleveland finishes, Jets quarterback Josh McCown said the Browns have to stick with Jackson to keep from taking another step back.
“It’s critical in my opinion,’' McCown said on a conference call Tuesday, via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “There has to be some steadfastness and resolve. When you set out to do this thing and rebuild the way that you did, you have to have some steadfastness to go, ‘This is what we’re going to do and we’re going to stick to it and see it through.’”
McCown played two seasons with the Browns, including last season under Jackson. The Browns cut him in February.
Cleveland has employed nine head coaches since returning in 1999 as an expansion team, including interim coach Terry Robiskie. Jackson is the fourth in the past six years. None of the nine made it more than four seasons.
“I don’t think it’s very fair to really evaluate, just like you would a player, evaluate the coaches until you have a substantial amount of talent in the group that you’re envisioning putting together on the field,’' said McCown. “If you’re continually saying you need to add pieces and you have picks and you’re going to add talent, I don’t know how you evaluate the coach fairly. That statement in and of itself is a little indicting.’'