While the Cleveland Browns open offseason activities and celebrate signing cornerback Denzel Ward to a huge contract extension, the team’s past seems to want to bite back. Earlier this offseason, former head coach Hue Jackson made comments about the team paying him to lose football games. Jackson’s comments were made in response to the lawsuit filed by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores.
Owner Jimmy Haslam spoke out harshly against Jackson following his statements. The current Gambling State head coach attempted to clarify his statements later:
Jackson did not state that he offered money to lose but that the organizations had bonuses for things that he believed did not lead to winning including things like having a very young roster.
Unfortunately, Jackson’s statements have now led to Cleveland being under investigation by the NFL for tanking. The Browns seem to welcome the investigation:
A Browns spokesperson sent the following statement: “Even though Hue recanted his allegations a short time after they were made, it was important to us and to the integrity of the game to have an independent review of the allegations. We welcomed an investigation and we are confident the results will show, as we’ve previously stated, that these allegations are categorically false. We have fully cooperated with Mary Jo White and look forward to the findings.”
While Jackson is at Grambling and Sashi Brown, the GM at the time, is the president of the Baltimore Ravens, current GM Andrew Berry was in the front office and Paul DePodesta remains as the chief strategy officer. If the team was found to be in violation, the organization and anyone still employed by the NFL could face punishment.
According to the report, the review is expected to be finished soon.
