If the Cleveland Browns decide to make significant changes following a disappointing season, firing their head coach will not be one of them.
The Browns are committed to Freddie Kitchens and have no intention of firing him, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports. The team continues to support Kitchens and wants him to remain the head coach in Cleveland long term, so Rapoport does not envision the Browns moving on from him “barring a horrific collapse.”
Cleveland has won four of its last five games, which has certainly helped Kitchens state his case to keep the job. Many speculated that he could be one-and-done after the Browns entered the season with enormous expectations and got off to a brutal start, but the franchise is desperate for stability.
Kitchens landed the head coaching job because of the work he did with Baker Mayfield last season as offensive coordinator, but Mayfield has taken a step back this year despite the addition of Odell Beckham Jr. There have also been rumblings that Kitchens is not on the same page with some members of his coaching staff, so perhaps there will be changes underneath him in the coming weeks.
Assuming Kitchens does keep his job, he’ll be under even more pressure in 2020. The Browns’ roster is constructed to win now, and fans will be expecting them to make the playoffs next season even if they trade a seemingly disgruntled star. It’s not a huge shock that Cleveland is sticking with Kitchens heading into next season, but he’ll almost certainly be on the hot seat from the start.
