When the Cleveland Browns fired Hue Jackson after a 2-5-1 start this past season, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was promoted to the role of head coach and running backs coach Freddie Kitchens was named offensive coordinator.
The Browns proceeded to go 5-3 under Williams' direction, actually briefly vaulting themselves into playoff contention toward the end of the season.
As a result, many felt Cleveland should stick with Williams as the head coach, but instead, the Browns parted ways with Williams and elected to go with Kitchens, and quarterback Baker Mayfield fully endorses the new man in charge:
“I think it’s very beneficial for everyone on our team,” Mayfield said of Kitchens' presence as head coach, per Zach Frydenlund of Complex. “You know exactly what you’re going to get. The standard is set, and he’s going to be who he is. You know the expectations—you know what’s expected every day when you come into work. And, I mean, you’re just held accountable. And I think that’s the greatest part about it is we trust everybody to do their job and to respect the fact that we have rules that are set in stone and everybody needs to fall in line with that.”
The Browns had a very busy offseason, adding high-profile names such as Odell Beckham Jr. and Kareem Hunt to beef up their offense and defensive players like Olivier Vernon and Sheldon Richardson to bolster their 30th-ranked defense.
Because of Cleveland's additions, many feel that the Browns will be legitimate contenders in the AFC and that they seem poised to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign, which is currently the longest playoff drought in the NFL.
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