Browns coach Hue Jackson says there is no trouble in paradise between the coaching staff and the unique blend of personalities which make up the team's unorthodox front office.
"I do have a tension headache," Jackson said jokingly Monday, via Cleveland.com. "My head hurts. I don't know where any of that comes from. I have never felt that, heard that, any of that. Like I said, my head does hurt from time to time when we lose, and that's about it.
"I'm the head coach of the football team and I will make decisions sometimes based on what I think is right. Sometimes, that's just part of it, but I have not heard (tension), felt (tension) or seen (tension) from anybody in our organization. They have been outstanding in their support of me and what we are trying to accomplish here."
If the Browns (0-10) were entirely simpatico right now, I think Jackson would have more of a problem. While he understood this would be a rebuild, he did not expect to get caught up in a karmic and cosmic tornado this season that has forced the team to rip through six different quarterbacks. Trying something different with their front office, led by Sashi Brown and chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta, will invariably add some growing pains into the fold that may not be present in a more stereotypical NFL front office.
As hard as it must be for Jackson, he has to understand that this is the right thing to do. The Browns were holding on to tradeable assets that they could not use, and they traded almost every single one. They are forcing young players with little NFL experience and pedigree to compete in an excellent division and they've lost four games already by less than a touchdown.
Fending off any tension moving forward, though, will be the ultimate key to success. Should one side become skeptical of the other, there would have been no reason to blow this team up in the first place.
