New Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson has picked up a key endorsement in Jim Brown. When discussing Jackson, Brown expressed great optimism about what the future may hold.
#Browns great Jim Brown tells @AKinkhabwala about Hue Jackson: "I'm looking forward to great things… and I don't say that very often."
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 8, 2016
Brown has some credibility on the matter. In addition to being the greatest Brown and one of the best players of all-time, he shared early doubts about Trent Richardson, which were later proven prophetic.
Additionally, Brown is not alone in his feelings. While the offseason is still in its infancy stages, Jackson is being well received by his new players.
I'm just going to say this. I have NEVER heard this many players rave this much and this uniformly abt a new head coach. #Browns #HueJackson
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) June 8, 2016
Of course, none of what’s being said now matters if Jackson doesn’t begin to win consistently in Cleveland. Year in and year out, the Browns have been the most downtrodden franchise in the league since reentering the NFL in 1999, with the Detroit Lions being the only franchise that could come close to rivaling them.
Objectively speaking, Jackson should be a good coach. He presided over one of only two 8-8 seasons that the Oakland Raiders have had over the last 13 years, going .500 in 2011. Realistically, he probably would have remained the coach in Oakland had he not pushed for the team to acquire Carson Palmer in a midseason trade, paying a steep price to get him.
So, his general manager skills may not be tremendous, but his coaching is just fine.