Secret contract is Hue Jackson’s latest attempt to escape Browns blame

In over two years as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Hue Jackson led the franchise to a 3-36-1 overall record. He was eventually fired after starting the 2018 season with a 2-5-1 record.

Jackson, who is releasing a book in the near future, made a radio appearance on Monday morning and he said that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam actually gave him a contract extension sometime during the 0-16 season. According to Cleveland.com, the extension was for one year, which went through the 2020 season.

“I got a contract extension at 1-23, midway through the season,” Jackson told “The Really Big Show” on ESPN 850. “I wanted to go public with it, but the Browns didn’t.”

Jackson said that he was “lied to by ownership and leadership of the team” after the roster was torn down. He says he was never told that was going to happen before the start of the season.

“They were going to be football plus analytics, but it was football vs. analytics,” Jackson said. “… I think I became the fall guy because that was the narrative… The truth needs to come out for other minority coaches. They need to know the pitfalls out there. My story has affected some of their futures.”

Jackson also talked about the trade that never happened for at-the-time Cincinnati Bengals quarterback A.J. McCarron. He added that he wasn’t happy with the draft pick of former USC quarterback Cody Kessler, saying “that’s what analytics drafts.”

When Jackson was fired after the 2-5-1 start, so was offensive coordinator Todd Haley. He said thay they didn’t have a great relationship during their time together.

Jackson said “that was a bad marriage” and he “never should have done that [hired Haley].”