Former Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson implied on social media that he was paid to tank by Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, adding that he has proof.
In a series of back-and-forth tweets Tuesday regarding Brian Flores’ lawsuit and allegation he made that the Miami Dolphins were willing to pay him to tank, Jackson posted that Haslam “was happy while we kept losing.”
In a subsequent tweet, Jackson posted, “Trust me, it was a good number!”
Trust me it was a good number!
— Hue Jackson (@huejack10) February 2, 2022
In yet another tweet, he wrote, “I can back up every word I’m saying.”
The tweets were in reaction to Flores’ allegation that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 per loss to tank in Flores’ first season of 2019 in hopes of a better draft pick in 2020.
Jackson, now the head coach at Grambling State, went 3-36-1 in parts of three seasons in Cleveland.
The executive director of the Hue Jackson Foundation, Kimberly Diemert, separately congratulated Flores for his “bravery” and invited him to direct message her, saying, “We have records that will help your case. … They did this @Browns.”
Congratulations #brianflores for your bravery. We have records that will help your case. DM me. @NFL and @nflcommish knew about this and covered it up. They did this @Browns . Paid Brown, DePodesta and Berry bonus $ along with @huejack10 to TANK for 2016 and 2017.@espn https://t.co/YOnqArWlnL
— Kimberly Diemert (@KimberlyDiemer1) February 2, 2022
Diemert said Jackson along with team executives Paul DePodesta and Andrew Berry — now the team’s general manager — received bonuses to tank in 2016 and 2017. The Browns went 1-31 those two seasons under Jackson.
The Browns selected defensive end Myles Garrett No. 1 overall in the 2017 draft and then quarterback Baker Mayfield No. 1 overall in the 2018 draft.
Jackson was fired after a 2-5-1 start in the 2018 season.
The Dolphins released a statement Tuesday saying, in part, “The implication that we acted in a manner inconsistent with the integrity of the game is incorrect.”
–Field Level Media