Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson was fired along with offensive coordinator Todd Haley on Monday. Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will act as interim head coach. Currently, the Browns have a 2-5-1 overall record, an improvement from their winless 2017 season.
Jackson had led Cleveland for the past two seasons, clinching one victory. Many Browns fans expressed their joy over social media.
“We greatly appreciate Hue’s commitment to the Cleveland Browns organization over the last two and a half years,” Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. “We understand how critical this time period is in the development of our football team, individually and collectively, and believed it was in the organization’s best interest to make the move at this time, in order to maximize our opportunities, the rest of this season. We certainly only wish Hue, Michelle, and his family the best moving forward.”
Out of 32 teams in the NFL, only six teams have Black head coaches after Jackson’s firing. It could make NFL followers wonder if franchises are taking the Rooney Rule seriously. The SF Chronicle noted January 2018 that the Oakland Raiders could have been fined for not adhering to the rule when they were searching for a new head coach.
After an investigation, the NFL confirmed that Oakland did adhere to the Rooney Rule before hiring John Gruden.
According to ESPN, Jackson was fired with rookie first overall pick Baker Mayfield in mind. The Oklahoma product replaced veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor as starter for the week four against the Oakland Raiders.
Prior to working with Cleveland, Jackson spent one season at the helm of the Oakland Raiders, aiding them to an 8-8 record.
