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The Cleveland Browns hired Todd Haley to be their new offensive coordinator, the team announced Wednesday. Haley had served as the offensive coordinator with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the past six seasons before the team elected against renewing his contract last week. The 50-year-old will become the first offensive coordinator under Browns coach Hue Jackson, who is 1-31 in two seasons while calling the plays in Cleveland.
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"This is a great opportunity," Haley said. "The Browns have a great history, great fans and deserve to have some fun and experience some winning. I want to help be part of that process. There is obviously a lot of work to do in order to get there, but I've always been excited about facing a challenge. There is no better feeling than when you can be a part of turning an organization around.
"Hue and I have had some good battles in competing against each other as coordinators and even as a head coach. We know each other well and I have a great deal of respect for him. He's so competitive and winning is the only thing that's important to him. You want to work with a coach like that. Hue and I share a lot of similar beliefs on how to be successful on offense."
Haley heads from a Steelers' team that made four straight playoff appearances to a club that went 0-16 in 2017 and 1-15 in 2016. He also exits an offense that finished eighth in the NFL with 25.4 points per game to one that finished 32nd with 14.6 points per contest.
Jackson was pleased to welcome Haley to the team.
"We're thrilled to bring Todd Haley in as our offensive coordinator," Jackson said in a statement. "I've known Todd for a very long time and have respected and admired the job he's done as a play-caller in this league. He's a coordinator that has been successful in every place he's been. He has been a guy that has adjusted his offense to successfully complement and taken advantage of the skillset of his personnel.
"I've witnessed firsthand how prolific his offenses have been in the AFC North over the last six seasons."
The Browns also announced Wednesday that Amos Jones is their new special teams coordinator and Freddie Kitchens is their new running backs/associate head coach.
Jones has spent 11 seasons in the NFL, including the last five with the Arizona Cardinals. During that time, Jones helped Justin Bethel (2013-15) and Budda Baker (2017) to Pro Bowl selections as special teams players.
"Amos Jones is an experienced special teams coordinator that we think will do an outstanding job leading and improving our unit," Jackson said. "We always talk about how the three phases must complement each other in order for team success to come. Amos has worked under really good coaches throughout his career and has helped develop some really good core special teamers. I've said this already this offseason, we have to get better in every area to become the type of team our fans deserve. Amos is going to be a part of that."
Kitchens has spent the past 11 seasons with the Cardinals, including 2017 as running backs coach. He also coached quarterbacks for four years (2013-16) and tight ends for six seasons (2007-12).
"I am so excited to be joining an historic franchise such as the Browns that has demonstrated a willingness and desire to compete for championships," Kitchens said. "I look forward to the opportunity to work with Hue, John and the whole organization, while we work together to achieve the desired success."
