Jimmy Haslam seeks stability for Cleveland Browns, fires coach Pat Shurmur, GM Tom Heckert – NFL News
In line with analysts’ projections, Cleveland Browns new owner Jimmy Haslam has fired coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert straight after coming out of the 2012 season at the poor record of 5-11.
The owner defended the decision of letting the coach go, who was Browns’ fifth coach since 1999, saying it was necessary to seek a long-term stability for the organisation. Apparently, what he means is that the Browns have become a unique team in the league,
too quick to fire coaches, officials from front office and quarterbacks. They have tried 16 QBs in 13 years, which speaks of their instability within.
Nevertheless, the owner’s decision was expected coming given both officials had been hired by former President Mike Holmgren, who left the team about a month earlier, at the end of his term with the team.
Jimmy said:
"We're well aware that this has been a carousel. It's our job to find the right coach and the right GM and bring stability long term for the organisation. That's our role. Our goal is to get the best person."
He said the decision to let the coach and GM go had been taken a week earlier. This was well within projections of analysts that the officials' days in Cleveland were numbered. Both officials kept avoiding direct questions about their prospects, and sometimes,
in fact, held on to ambitious hopes of extending their stays.
New chief executive officer (CEO) Joe Banner did not come out with a statement he had been evaluating the coach and other staff closely. He had direct contact with the owner seeking his advice on the matter before making the final decision.
A week earlier, Heckert insisted he should be given another chance, after crediting himself with rebuilding of the team from the scratch. A similar optimism had been expressed by the coach, although the former stayed to be more realistic or probably knew
that he was nearing an end of his stint with the team.
Shurmur has spent a year and a half in Cleveland, leading the Browns to nine wins and 23 losses. He joined the team later into the 2011 season because of the lockout, although he had been hired earlier in the offseason.
He and other coaches hit a phase of uncertainty about their future with the Browns when the team was sold to the new owner in a billion-dollar deal earlier in 2012.
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