The challenge of turning around the once proud franchise combined with owners who are willing to spend, a crop of young players, draft picks and a ton of cap space brought John Dorsey to Cleveland last December and he hopes those same motives will help him land the Browns’ next head coach.
“I think about that every day driving home and just make sure you don’t mess it up,” Dorsey said. “That’s what I keep telling myself: ‘just don’t mess this thing up.’”
Here’s a look at what we learned Wednesday.
1. Winning still matters.
Dorsey mentioned winning multiple times Wednesday morning and he spoke about finishing the season strong.
“I think, emphasize the winning, continue to coach your respective players, have players begin to develop and end the season strong and I think that's important,” Dorsey said. “Let's be competitive in each and every game the next seven weeks.”
2. Gregg Williams will get a shot at the full-time job in January and it sounds like the Browns want to hang on to Freddie Kitchens too.
“Gregg will get interviewed for the head coaching position,” Dorsey said. “I think he deserves that and I think Freddie has done a heck of a job and let’s see what happens as we continue to play six more games of football with regards with Freddie, but I think Freddie has done a heck of a job.”
The reason Williams will receive consideration is simple, Dorsey already sees positive change within the team.
“I've always been a believer of you play the game like you practice and I think these practices have been very competitive,” Dorsey said. “They've been very structured, the've been very disciplined and guys have had some energy and that's the difference I see. There's been a focus on the little things which I think is important.”
3. Loose lips sink ships.
Dorsey plans to keep the search as confidential as possible by keeping those involved in the search to a minimum.
“Let me put it this way: we had the first pick in the draft last year. I didn't say very much,” Dorsey said. “I'm not going to say very much because the importance of this selection, who that person will be, so I'm not going to say much.”
4. No search firm.
Dorsey was succinct when asked if he’ll employ a firm to assist in the search.
“We don’t need that,” Dorsey said.
5. Dorsey seeks at least 3 characteristics in the next head coach.
“I think it’s football philosophy and I think it’s what are the characteristics of that man,” Dorsey said. “For me personally, I would like to see a man of character. I would like see a man who can lead young men. I would like a man who has high football acumen. Those are the three basic things there I’m looking for.”
6. Todd Haley was sorely mistaken thinking that he would automatically replace Hue Jackson, as evidenced by his firing.
“That’s one man’s opinion,” Dorsey said.
7. Hue Jackson returning to Cincinnati really isn’t a big deal, to Dorsey or the Browns.
"No, I wish him, you know what, I wish him the best,” Dorsey said. “You know it's, it was hard a couple weeks ago and Hue's to the…I wish him the best."
8. Even with Josh Gordon’s success in New England, Dorsey won’t second guess the decision to trade him.
“I’m fine with the trade,” Dorsey said.