Tag: Hue Jackson

Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson paces the sidelines in the second quarter during the NFL game between the San Diego Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015, at Paul Brown Stadium, in Cincinnati, Ohio. 092015 Bengals Chargers Syndication Cincinnati

Grambling State parts ways with coach Hue Jackson

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Grambling State relieved head coach Hue Jackson of his duties on Tuesday after two seasons.

Co-offensive coordinator John Simon was elevated to interim head coach while the university launches a national search for its next full-time hire.

The Tigers posted a 5-6 record this season, finishing with a 27-22 loss to rival Southern University on Saturday in the annual Bayou Classic in New Orleans.

Jackson, 58, has an overall record of 8-14 (6-10 SWAC) during his tenure with Grambling.

The former NFL head coach was hired on a four-year contract with an annual salary of $400,000, but only the first two years were guaranteed.

“We want to thank Coach Jackson on his contributions to the GSU football program. We wish him well in all his future endeavors,” Dr. Trayvean Scott, Grambling vice president of intercollegiate athletics, said in a statement. “This was not an easy decision to make but one that we felt was necessary to move our program forward. The goal at GSU is to compete for championships every year. As we move forward, we will be intentional in finding the right person to lead this program back to its rightful place as one of the top programs in the country.”

Prior to Grambling, Jackson was the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Tennessee State for the 2021 season. His 30-plus years of coaching experience at the collegiate and professional levels includes a stint at Southern California in the late 1990s, where he helped recruit and groom Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Carson Palmer (2002).

Jackson coached in various positions in the NFL starting in 2004 with his first of three stints with the Cincinnati Bengals. He also held coaching positions with the Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns.

He was head coach for the 2011 season with the Raiders, finishing 8-8 before being fired.

Jackson was hired as head coach of the Browns in 2016, becoming the first coach since 2008 to start a season 0-14. The Browns finished that year at 1-15 and followed it up by becoming only the second team in NFL history to finish 0-16. He was fired after starting the 2018 season at 2-5-1.

–Field Level Media

Dec 9, 2018; Carson, CA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals special assistant to the head coach Hue Jackson watches from the sidelines in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

NFL: No evidence to support Hue Jackson’s claims of Browns tanking

Posted on | by Field Level Media

An independent review into former Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson’s allegations that the team incentivized him to intentionally lose games found “no evidence” to back the claims, the NFL announced Monday.

Former U.S. Attorney and Securities and Exchange Commission chair Mary Jo White led a team of lawyers on an investigation that lasted 60 days, in response to Jackson writing on social media in February that the Browns paid him bonuses to tank in 2016 and 2017.

“The investigation found no evidence to suggest that the Browns’ Four-Year Plan or the club’s ownership or football personnel sought to lose or incentivized losses and made no decisions deliberately to weaken the team to secure a more favorable draft position,” the NFL said in a press release.

The league added that Jackson, now the coach of Grambling State, initially agreed to meet with White’s team but failed to follow through.

According to the league, the Browns produced “thousands of pages” worth of emails, memos and other documents from the time period in question, which did not turn up any potential evidence of tanking.

Jackson compiled a 3-36-1 record in two-plus seasons as Cleveland’s head coach, including a 1-15 mark in 2016 (his first year on the job) and 0-16 the following year. Those dreadful records helped the Browns earn the first overall picks in consecutive drafts, which they used to select edge rusher Myles Garrett and quarterback Baker Mayfield.

In February, in the wake of Brian Flores’ racial discrimination lawsuit against the NFL and several teams, Jackson implied in multiple social media posts that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam paid him bonuses to lose, at one point writing, “Trust me, it was a good number!”

He backpedaled on those specific accusations later in the week in interviews with ESPN and CNN, instead saying that his situation had “similarities” to Flores’ with the Miami Dolphins. Haslam, meanwhile, denied the allegations.

“We appreciate the independent investigation led by Mary Jo White and the Debevoise (law firm) team which brings closure to these allegations that Hue Jackson publicly recanted shortly after they were made and that we’ve known all along are categorically false,” the Browns said in a statement Monday. “As we’ve previously stated, we welcomed this investigation because the integrity of our game is something that should not be taken lightly and an independent review was crucial in bringing a conclusion to this matter.”

White was also appointed by the NFL to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct against Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder, which was later expanded to include finance-related allegations against the team. That probe is ongoing.

–Field Level Media

Dec 9, 2018; Carson, CA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals special assistant to the head coach Hue Jackson watches from the sidelines in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Grambling’s Hue Jackson defends hiring of Art Briles

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Grambling State football coach Hue Jackson on Monday defended the controversial hiring of Art Briles as offensive coordinator.

Briles has been out of college football since he was fired as the head coach at Baylor in 2016 after an independent investigation into a widespread sexual assault scandal in the Bears’ football program.

Jackson, who was named the coach at Grambling in December, said the decision to bring Briles aboard was not taken lightly.

“The Hue Jackson Foundation has been dedicated to fighting against ALL forms of sexual abuse and exploitation as well as other forms of racial and social bias,” Jackson wrote in a statement released by the foundation. “We have a clear understanding of the role that coaches and others who have a position of trust play in the lives of those they meet.

“We also know and understand the process of identifying risks, helping others to heal, and the importance of prevention. We believe that through the hiring of Coach Briles and the well-developed programs we have in place, this hire will be instrumental in teaching others the importance of knowing how to prevent victimization, proper reporting procedures, provide adequate resources to individuals who have been victimized and develop strong law enforcement partnerships within the community.”

Briles, 66, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity at Grambling in an interview last week with KTAL-TV in Shreveport, La.

“I’ll do exactly what I’m required to do and what they expect of me, which is to be a very solid citizen, to be a positive leader on a day-in and day-out basis, to do everything I can do to protect our students and our student-athletes on campus and to represent the Grambling University to the best of my ability because I’m very humble and grateful to be at this university,” Briles said.

Briles’ teams finished in the top 20 four times in his eight seasons at Baylor, where he went 65-37 with six bowl appearances.

Overall, Briles compiled a 99-65 record in 13 seasons as a head coach at Houston (2003-07) and Baylor (2008-15), leading the Bears to Big 12 championships in 2013 and 2014.

“As we move forward together with Coach Briles, we ask that people keep in mind that no matter your views on this topic, please remember that people can and often do become re-traumatized and re-victimized by statements which may or may not be accurate,” Jackson’s statement said. “We will continue to support Coach Briles and all victims of assault, violence, social and racial injustices and we will continue to provide equal opportunity for healing for everyone.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 9, 2018; Carson, CA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals special assistant to the head coach Hue Jackson watches from the sidelines in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Hue Jackson implies he was paid to tank in Cleveland

Posted on | by Field Level Media

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!”

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.”

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

Dec 9, 2018; Carson, CA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals special assistant to the head coach Hue Jackson watches from the sidelines in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Grambling introduces Hue Jackson as head coach

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Grambling State introduced Hue Jackson as the program’s 14th head football coach Friday.

Jackson, 56, is a former NFL head coach with the Cleveland Browns (2016-18) and then-Oakland Raiders (2011). He spent the 2021 season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Tennessee State.

This is Jackson’s first head coaching position at the collegiate level. His extensive NCAA and NFL resume includes the offensive coordinator positions at Cal and Southern California, and in the NFL with Washington, Atlanta Falcons, the Raiders and Cincinnati.

He amassed a 3-36-1 record with the Browns, including 0-16 in 2017, and was fired after a 2-5-1 start to the 2018 season. He was 8-8 with the Raiders.

Jackson reportedly signed a four-year contract. He replaces Broderick Fobbs, who was fired on Nov. 15 after compiling a 54-32 record in eight seasons with the Tigers. The Tigers were 4-7 in 2021.

–Field Level Media

Nov 25, 2018; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals special assistant to the head coach Hue Jackson takes the field during warmups prior to the game against the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Grambling to name Hue Jackson head coach

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Grambling State will name Hue Jackson as its new head football coach, multiple outlets reported.

The school has scheduled a press conference for Friday morning.

Jackson, 56, is a former NFL head coach with the Cleveland Browns (2016-18) and then-Oakland Raiders (2011) and spent the 2021 season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Tennessee State.

Jackson never has been a head coach at the collegiate level, but his extensive NCAA and NFL resume includes the offensive coordinator positions at Cal and Southern California and in the NFL with Washington, Atlanta Falcons, the Raiders and Cincinnati.

He amassed a 3-36-1 record with the Browns, including 0-16 in 2017, and was fired after a 2-5-1 start to the 2018 season. He was 8-8 with the Raiders.

He would replace Broderick Fobbs, who was fired on Nov. 15 after compiling a 54-32 record in eight seasons with the Tigers. The Tigers were 4-7 in 2021.

–Field Level Media