Browns Promote Offensive Coordinator Freddie Kitchens to Head Coach
The Browns have promoted Freddie Kitchens from offensive coordinator to head coach, the team announced Saturday.
Kitchens, 44, started the season as Cleveland's associate head coach and running backs coach, but was moved into the offensive coordinator role after coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley were fired after Week 9.
“We are thrilled to announce Freddie Kitchens as the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns,” Dee and Jimmy Haslam, the Browns owners, said in a statement. “He did an outstanding job in his role as coordinator, and we know that will continue as he steps into the role of head coach. Freddie demonstrated all of the qualities that you want in someone who is leading your organization. He has unquestioned leadership. He is a man of integrity. He fosters a collaborative environment. He gets the most out of his players and our players loved playing for him. We are happy to have him leading the Cleveland Browns going forward.”
The team was 2–5–1 when Kitchens was moved to offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams became interim coach. In the second half of the season, the Browns went 5–3.
They also saw the offensive production take a jump as they went from averaging 21.1 points per game in the first eight contests to 23.8 points per game in the last eight.
