The Cleveland Browns have hired former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson as their next head coach, according to multiple reports.
Jackson had interviewed with other teams before Cleveland reportedly began making a strong push for him. He told Michael Silver of NFL.com that the Browns “made me feel comfortable.”
At one point, it appeared that the San Francisco 49ers were the frontrunners for Jackson. That obviously fizzled out as he continued the interview process.
Jackson was the running backs coach in Cincinnati before being named offensive coordinator this past season. He oversaw Andy Dalton’s best season as a pro. Jackson’s only previous NFL head coaching experience was with the Oakland Raiders, where he was fired after one season in 2011.
With the way the season ended in embarrassing fashion for the Bengals, Jackson must be relieved to get out of Cincy. Although, rumor has it there’s a certain player in Cleveland who can make life difficult for a head coach. It will be interesting to see how Jackson handles that.
