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Fresh off securing the second 0-16 season in NFL, Hue Jackson provided a quote that raised a lot of eyebrows. It also probably made a bunch of Browns fans sick.
Take it away, Hue!:
#Browns Jackson: “I don’t think anyone else could’ve done this job for the past 2 years”
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) December 31, 2017
That quote doesn’t exactly come off very well coming from him. Jackson went 1-15 last season and 0-16 in 2017. I’m not a mathematician, but 1-31 does not seem great.
Now to be fair, Jackson hasn’t been put in a great position to win. It’s clear the Browns have been committed to a rebuild by stocking up on draft picks and trying to build the team through the draft. You can see flashes there at least on the defensive side — the Browns gave up only one 300-yard passing game all season.
Because the reception to his quote was not great, Jackson attempted to clarify what he meant by saying what he did:
#Browns HC Hue Jackson said when he says no other coach could do this job, he's not trying to sound arrogant, he's trying to say these situations are hard and the average person couldn't go through it. "I'm thankful I have enough courage, strength, fight," he said.
— Nate Ulrich (@NateUlrichABJ) January 1, 2018
That still doesn’t come off a whole lot better. It honestly takes a lot of guts to pat yourself on the back after nearly going 0-16 in 2016 and then actually doing it in 2017. Though it appears by all accounts, he’s going to keep his job. So I suppose he can say what he wants.
But things will get better for the Browns before they get worse, right?
#Browns Jackson on NFL Network report that Dorsey will make hiring an OC his staff priority: I respect John but I don't think he's going to be hiring the OC. Says that's his call
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) January 1, 2018
OK, perhaps this could get messier.
Happy 2018, Browns fans!