Browns Plan To Stick With HC Freddie Kitchens

According to Ian Rapoport, the Browns plan to stick with HC Freddie Kitchens, barring what Rapoport terms a “horrific collapse.”

Kitchens’ job security has come into question in recent weeks. After an offseason filled with blockbuster additions to build around 2018 Rookie of the Year QB Baker Mayfield, Cleveland was seen as a potential Super Bowl contender by some. 

Instead, the Browns have underperformed and currently sit at 6-7 in third place in the AFC North. Discipline has been an issue for Kitchens’ team all year, starting with 18 penalties in the season opener and climaxing in a brawl on Thursday Night Football against the Steelers that resulted in the suspension of star DE Myles Garrett for the remainder of the season. 

Despite all that, Kitchens has bolstered his job security by winning four of his past five games. Rapoport says Browns management stands by Kitchens and wants him to have the support needed to stay in the position for a long time.

Rapoport adds that while Kitchens’ lack of experience has drawn fire from the critics as the source of many of Cleveland’s issues this year, the Browns understood Kitchens wasn’t a finished product when they hired him and expect him to continue to grow into the role. 

Kitchens, 45, began his coaching career back in 1999 as the RBs/TEs coach for Glenville State. He worked for a few schools before being hired by the Cowboys as their TEs coach for the 2006 season.

Kitchens later joined the Cardinals and held a few jobs including TEs coach, QBs coach and RBs coach before joining the Browns as their RBs coach and associate HC. After the team fired Todd Haley, Kitchens took over as offensive coordinator.

Cleveland elected to hire Kitchens as its next head coach for the 2019 season. So far he has a record of 6-7 in his first season.