Organisation » We were optimistic and hopeful that they would

BEREA Womens Myles Garrett Jersey , Ohio (AP) — The Browns believe they finally have the pieces. All that’s missing is someone to keep them together.A day after Cleveland ended a promising turnaround season following a winless 2017, general manager John Dorsey said he will interview interim coach Gregg Williams and offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens in his search for the Browns’ ninth full-time coach since 1999.Dorsey’s pursuit will start internally and quickly expand.“Why not go and look at everybody?” Dorsey said Monday.For once, the Browns can be picky. Their coaching vacancy is more attractive than it’s been in the past.With cornerstone players like quarterback Baker Mayfield, Pro Bowl defensive end Myles Garrett and wide receiver Jarvis Landry in addition to highly touted rookies Nick Chubb and Denzel Ward, an abundance of salary-cap space, 11 draft picks in 2019 and deeply committed owners, Cleveland is a coveted job.The Browns have gone from appalling to appealing.“There is a bright future with this organization,” Dorsey said. “Hopefully, they can see what we see here.”Dorsey isn’t disclosing which candidates he’ll interview, but the team has requested permission to speak with Minnesota offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, New Orleans tight ends coach Dan Campbell, New England linebackers coach Brian Flores and two Indianapolis assistants in offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, according to multiple reports.Former Packers coach Mike McCarthy is also expected to draw interest from the Browns. He and Dorsey worked together for seven years in Green Bay.“I have a lot of respect for Mike McCarthy and for what he’s done,” Dorsey said.Miami’s firing of Adam Gase after three seasons could push him onto Dorsey’s radar. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has pursued Gase in the past as well as Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.Dorsey has his list — and a checklist.“A guy who can instill leadership into these young men,” he said. “A guy who is a collaborative thinker. A guy who is a continuous learner. A guy who is consistent on a day-in and day-out basis and who those players can look up to and go, ‘You know what? I will follow that guy anywhere.'”Dorsey promised to provide updates once interviews are completed.Williams is up first. He’ll meet Tuesday with Dorsey, who is impressed with the job the 60-year-old did in leading the Browns to a 5-3 record after replacing Hue Jackson in late October. The club’s fiery defensive coordinator the past two seasons, Williams demanded accountability while keeping the Browns focused and fighting.“He’s kind of got these guys believing,” Dorsey said. “He’s brought them in together as one. He’s got them playing hard, that’s all you can ask for.”During his interviews, Dorsey said he wants to know how Williams — and others — see the Browns long-term.“I want to see his overarching vision and plan for this organization moving forward,” he said. “I want to hear his thoughts on the team moving forward, but I also want to be able to explore multiple options out there in the National Football League and just see who fits.”Beyond his accomplishments over the past two months, Williams has head coaching experience — and some baggage. He was Buffalo’s coach from 2001-03 Womens Nick Chubb Jersey , but he may be best remembered for his involvement in the New Orleans’ “Bountygate” scandal. The NFL suspended Williams for the 2012 season.Dorsey wants a “man of character” to be Cleveland’s next coach, and feels Williams has served any warranted punishment for previous sins.“I think he’s paid his penalty for that,” Dorsey said.Kitchens emerged as an improbable head coaching candidate after being promoted from running backs coach to coordinator when Todd Haley was fired the same day as Jackson.The affable Kitchens built a strong rapport with Mayfield, who set the NFL rookie record with 27 touchdown passes — 19 in the last eight games — and had Cleveland’s offense playing at a high level.Even if he doesn’t get the head-coaching gig, Kitchens, 44, could remain as coordinator.“He’s very relatable,” said guard Joel Bitonio. “We talk about Baker being a guy that everybody in the locker room relates to. Freddie’s kind of that guy, too. He’s been around the block even though he’s not too old and he’s a fun personality to be around. I think if he was put in that position (as head coach) the players would rally around him.”The Browns could simply leave things as they are and bring back Williams and Kitchens in the same roles. However, center JC Tretter believes Dorsey and his staff won’t be swayed by the team’s second-half surge.“You have to kind of step back, and I think that’s what the guys upstairs are going to do,” Tretter said. “They’re going to look for the best thing for the next five, 10 years.”NOTES: DT Larry Ogunjobi revealed he played the final few games with a torn left biceps. He’s not expected to need surgery. … Mayfield was not available for comment. However, he did leave a signed jersey on the chair of left tackle Greg Robinson, who started the last eight games and revived his career in Cleveland. BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Browns owner Jimmy Haslam finally tried the patient approach with his head coach.That didn’t work either.Haslam made his fourth coaching change since 2012 by firing Hue Jackson, who won just three of 40 games over two-plus seasons and then lost his job because of a feud with offensive coordinator Todd Haley that went public and threatened to turn a promising season into another one of those Cleveland catastrophes.Haslam fired Jackson and Haley within hours of each other on Monday, a day after the Browns (2-5-1) lost their 25th consecutive road game — one shy of the NFL record.“Hopefully, we made a big step today,” Haslam said. “It is hard to win in the NFL. If anybody knows that, it is us. I think the message today is we are not going to put up with internal discord. We want people who are collaborative and work together.”As for his poor track record in finding coaches, Haslam offered no excuses.“I will accept the blame because ultimately, it is the person at the head of the ship,” he said. “I will take the blame as ownership. I can’t explain it more than that. We have had different situations with different people. I know that it is something that we are not going to tolerate moving forward.”Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is Cleveland’s interim coach Bernie Kosar Jersey , and running backs coach Freddie Kitchens will take over for Haley.Haslam said Williams, who coached Buffalo from 2001-03, was the only in-house candidate considered to finish the season. While Williams has extensive experience and won a Super Bowl, he also has a checkered past. He was suspended by the league for a full season in 2012 for his role in the “Bountygate” scandal that rocked the New Orleans Saints.Haslam said it’s premature to consider the next coaching hire for the Browns, who are 22-81-1 since he and his wife, Dee, agreed to buy the franchise in 2012.The main objective now is to get through the season’s second half, beginning with a matchup on Sunday against the high-scoring, Kansas City Chiefs (7-1).“We will have a collaborative effort in everything that we do here,” Haslam said when asked about a search for the team’s ninth coach since 1999. “Right now, we are focused on the next eight games and Gregg and his staff winning as many of those games that we can.”There are already names floating around as potential candidates to be Cleveland’s next coach, including Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley, who coached Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield in college.“Not right now,” Riley said of his interest in jumping to the NFL. “You sit here and answer these questions and I always want to be truthful. The truth is for me is, I love Oklahoma. I love coaching here. I love college football. I certainly don’t have that itch right now.”Just three weeks ago, the Browns, who went 0-16 last season under Jackson, appeared to have turned the corner following an overtime win against Baltimore.But things unraveled quickly, thrust in the wrong direction by a power struggle between Jackson and Haley, who joined Cleveland’s staff this season after six in Pittsburgh. Following a loss at Tampa Bay last week, Jackson aimed blame at Haley by offering to help the team’s offense.Haley publicly said he wasn’t offended by the remarks. But Jackson’s comments seemed to widen a divide between the coaches, who had disagreed on players getting days off during training camp and whether wide receiver Josh Gordon deserved to start the opener.In order to salvage the season, Haslam and general manager John Dorsey felt change was necessary.Without pointing fingers, Dorsey said there’s only one way to stop the in-fighting.“Treat people the way they want to be treated David Njoku Jersey White ,” he said. “Come into work every day willing to work. Love what you do. Just take ownership in what you are doing. Come to work every day and treat people the way you want to be treated.”Jackson’s the sixth straight Cleveland coach to be fired following the team’s second game against Pittsburgh. Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, Pat Shurmur, Rob Chudzinski and Mike Pettine all met the same demise, but they were let go following the season’s final game.Haslam wouldn’t get into any specifics about the “‘discord” between Jackson and Haley.“We made the decision to move on, and it was far bigger than who was going to call plays,” Haslam said. “Unfortunately, sometimes, the best plans don’t work out, and in this case, they didn’t. We were optimistic and hopeful that they would.”Jackson was hired in 2016 by the Haslams, who stuck by him despite a 1-15 record in his first season and then last season’s debacle. His failures were always explained away with excuses: not enough talent, injuries, bad luck, a disconnection with the front office.Haslam thought hiring a high-profile coordinator like Haley would help Jackson.In the end, it was his undoing.“Unfortunately, sometimes the best plans do not work out,” Haslam said. “In this case, they did not. We were optimistic and hopeful that they would, but they did not work out.”