CLEVELAND — Freddie Kitchens had his fair share of struggles in his only year as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, who finished the 2019 season with a disappointing 6-10 record after being expected to compete for an AFC North Division Championship, or at the very least, a wildcard playoff spot.
But following his dismissal, Kitchens remains well thought of as a position coach and has options in addition to the reported interest from the New York Giants.
According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, reports of Kitchens joining Joe Judge’s coaching staff may be a bit premature, as it is “not a lock” because the veteran NFL assistant has other opportunities available around the league.
Duggan’s report counters that of Mark Zenith of AL.com from earlier in the week.
Zenith reported Judge was expected to hire Kitchens for a yet to be determined role. Currently, former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, who like Kitchens was dismissed after the 2019 season, is New York’s offensive coordinator.
Along with reported interest in Kitchens, the Giants have hired Jody Wright, who was an offensive assistant with the Browns in 2019. Wright’s hiring was reported by Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports.
A lack of discipline derailed the Browns’ hopes to break the NFL’s longest active playoff drought, which now stands at 17 consecutive years dating back to the 2003 season. The Browns last qualified for the playoffs during the 2002 season.
In addition to missing the playoffs for the 17th straight time, the Browns finished the 2019 season with a sub .500 record for the 12th consecutive year. The Browns last finished above .500 when they had a 10-6 record in 2007.
The Browns finished the year with the league’s sixth-most penalties, 122 infractions that cost the team 1,106 yards, which was the fourth-highest total in the NFL this past season.
Although Kitchens and the Browns struggled in his lone season as head coach, when he was the interim offensive coordinator for the second half of 2018, quarterback Baker Mayfield and running back Nick Chubb flourished.
Under Kitchens’ direction in 2018, Mayfield completed 180 of his 263 attempts (68.4 percent) for 2,254 yards and 19 touchdowns against eight interceptions. Mayfield averaged 281.75 yards and 2.375 touchdowns per game with Kitchens calling the plays.
Used sparingly by former offensive coordinator Todd Haley over the first half of the 2018 season, Chubb rushed for 788 of his 996 yards and five of his eight touchdowns on 140 carries under Kitchens. After the changes in coaches, Chubb averaged 5.63 yards per carry and became a contributing member in the passing game as well.
Not known for having great catching ability out of the backfield while at the University of Georgia, Chubb turned 18 catches into 139 yards and two touchdowns over the second half of the 2018 season.
Kitchens has 21 years of coaching experience, including 14 at the NFL level.
Before joining the Browns’ staff in January of 2018, Kitchens was a tight ends (2007-2012), quarterbacks (2013-2016) and running backs coach (2017) for the Arizona Cardinals. Additionally, Kitchens was the Cowboys’ tight ends coach during the 2006 season.
Prior to his NFL coaching career, Kitchens worked at Mississippi State, North Texas, Louisiana State and Glenville State.