Getty Images Former Browns coach Hue Jackson was fired by Grambling State on Tuesday.
Former Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson is without a job once again.
Jackson was fired by Grambling State this week, bringing an end to his two-year tenure with the team. The Tigers went 8-14 under Jackson and just finished a 5-6 season.
“We want to thank Coach Jackson for his contributions to the GSU football program. We wish him well in all his future endeavors,” said Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Trayvean Scott. “This was not an easy decision to make but one that we felt was necessary to move our program forward. The goal at GSU is to compete for championships every year. As we move forward, we will be intentional in finding the right person to lead this program back to its rightful place as one of the top programs in the country.”
Jackson is probably most well-known for his time with the Browns. He was 3-36-1 during his time in Cleveland at was at the helm for the 0-16 campaign in 2013.
Hue Jackson Voices Opinion on Latest Firing
Jackson did not agree with the move by Grambling State and felt that his squad was just turning the corner into being a contender.
“At the end of the day, people will only focus on the wins and losses, but I know for a fact … we were turning that program back into the monster that we all wanted it to be,” Jackson said in an interview with “Offscript,” which was transcribed by hbcusports.com. “You have to give it three years when you come in the first year. You don’t want to walk in and run all the players at it. I’m not just talking about Grambling but about any place. You need to make sure you understand the lay of the land. And I would have felt though it was warranted (to be fired) if this year looked like the first year. … It was really going to take off.”
Jackson didn’t get a full three seasons with the Browns either but it became evident pretty quickly during his third year that the team was not moving in the right direction. He was fired after a 2-5-1 start to the season. The Browns finished that season with a 7-8-1 record with Gregg Williams serving as the interim coach.
Hue Jackson Has Taken Shots at Browns Since Firing
It’s safe to say that Jackson did not leave on good terms with Cleveland. Jackson claimed that Browns owners incentivized losing — a claim that the NFL would later say couldn’t be substantiated.
“Hue Jackson has never ever accepted any responsibility for our record during that time period,” Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam told Knoxville News in 2022. “He’s been masterful at pointing fingers but has never accepted any blame. I have accepted a ton of blame, and rightfully so.
“There are a lot of things I could’ve done better. Hue has never accepted blame for one thing.”
Jackson, 58, has more than 35 years of coaching on his resume, so perhaps he can still find another gig as a coordinator or position coach at some point in the future.