Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said after firing G.M. Sashi Brown this morning that he will not also fire head coach Hue Jackson.
In a statement released by the team, Haslam said he is committed to Jackson for another season.
“We have great appreciation and gratitude for Sashi’s commitment and leadership to our organization but believe transitioning to someone with strong experience and success in drafting and building consistently winning football teams is critical to the future of the Cleveland Browns,” Haslam said. “Today we informed Sashi that we were going in a new direction. The 2018 draft and offseason is pivotal for our franchise, we need to ensure that we maximize our opportunity for success; with our picks, free agency and building our roster. Hue Jackson will remain our coach and will return for the 2018 season but we feel it is necessary to take significant steps to strengthen our personnel department. We have begun the process of having productive conversations regarding leadership of our football operations and will provide further updates when appropriate. We thank Sashi for all his hard work and dedication to the Cleveland Browns.”
Of course, if Haslam changes his mind about that -- or if the next G.M. of the Browns changes his mind -- it wouldn’t be the first time that a coach who got a vote of confidence from the owner ended up losing his job. But for now, Haslam says Jackson is his guy for another season.