Cleveland Browns name Hue Jackson head coach

Jackson was a target of the Browns from the start as they entered the search for a new head coach after firing Mike Pettine after just two seasons and a record of 10-22. Jackson becomes the Browns eighth coach since 1999 and their sixth coach since 2008, according to the Associated Press.

Jackson had also interviewed with the San Francisco 49ers and was scheduled to meet later this week with the New York Giants, but Haslam was not going to be outbid for a coach he coveted. Since 1963, the Browns have had 15 head coaches, and only three of them had head coaching experience in the National Football League when they were hired: Nick Skorich (1971), Eric Mangini (2009) and now Jackson.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam definitely did his best to make the 50-year-old feel wanted. He pushed quarterback Andy Dalton to his best statistical season and was known for his creative flair with unbalanced lines and unorthodox formations. They first met with Jackson on Sunday, a day after the Bengals came unglued in the final minutes and lost to Pittsburgh in a testy AFC wild-card game.

Job one for the new coach and overhauled front office will be to cut the cord on professional distraction Johnny Manziel, and use the No. 2 pick in the draft on a quarterback who can play the position and act like an adult.

The hiring of Jackson likely means the end of Johnny Manziel in Cleveland.

He served as head coach of the Oakland Raiders in 2011, but was sacked after the team went 8-8 and a new general manager took over.

Jackson revamped Cincinnati’s offense. Jackson joins Sashi Brown, Executive VP of Football Operations, and Paul DePodesta, Chief Strategy Officer, in the attempt to turn a franchise in disarray into a contender.

I hope for Cleveland Browns fans that Jackson really is the answer and owner Jimmy Haslam leaves well enough alone. Jackson’s coaching skills turned both receivers into the Bengals’ first 1,000-yard single-season receiving tandem. On Marvin Lewis’ staff, he coached special teams, defensive backs and running backs before being promoted to coordinator. Jackson said, “I like being cutting edge”. Over the last 16 years, the Browns have been an extremely dysfunctional franchise that has had 8 different head coaches, 7 GM’s, and 24 starting quarterbacks.

“He and I had run into each other on the sidelines a couple times before the game and just had a natural chemistry”, Haslam said of Jackson.

All things being equal, the Ravens probably wish that Jackson got another well-deserved head coaching opportunity outside the AFC North. But no such luck. Flacco and Jackson had a strong relationship and Jackson’s work with the young quarterback was widely applauded.

Back in 2012, Jackson even lobbied for the Cal job, which eventually went to current coach Sonny Dykes.