After a tumultuous season, the Cleveland Browns have reportedly fired head coach Freddie Kitchens.
According to ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter, the beleaguered team released the coach after one season on Sunday. The 6-10 Browns dropped another game to the Cincinnati Bengals 33-23 to end the year, which was apparently the final straw for the Browns front office.
"I would like to thank Freddie for his dedication and efforts this past season," Browns general manager John Dorsey said in a statement. "We are disappointed in our results and feel a change is necessary. Freddie is a good man and good football coach. We wish he and his family nothing but success."
NFL insider Ian Rapoport confirmed the news, stating that he had a conversation over the phone with an "emotional" Kitchens. "He believed he had organizational support. He did not," Rapoport tweeted.
Earlier today, ESPN reported that Kitchens had planned on doing his job for as long as he was told to do so. "I haven't been told anything different," the former Browns coach said. "So they expect me to do my job, and I'm gonna show up tomorrow and do my job. That's what I'm gonna do. Do my job, until they tell me not to, if they tell me not to." Looks like they told him not to.
Reactions about the inevitable firing poured in Sunday night.
