Jackson pledges 1-15 days are over

Associated Press

BEREA

Hue Jackson’s eyes were bloodshot, the result of little sleep.

Poor guy’s worn out. Coaching the Browns has been physically and mentally draining, tougher than ever.

Jackson, though, will finally get a break and should be able to get some needed rest now that the nightmarish 1-15 season has ended.

A day after Cleveland completed an awful and appalling 16-game run with an overtime loss at Pittsburgh, Jackson vowed there would never be another one like it. Not on his watch.

“We are not going 1-15,” Jackson said. “No, or I will be swimming in the lake over there somewhere. That is not happening. I just know me too well. I know me and I know these guys too well. We are not going 1-15 next year, OK? You can write it if you like. Hue Jackson said it. We are not.”

“Amen,” said Browns vice president of football operations Sashi Brown.

The Browns knew rebuilding would be painful, but they never expected to go through what they did in 2016, when inexperience combined with injuries and ineptitude resulted in one of the worst seasons the NFL has ever seen.

On Monday, Jackson, Brown and strategy director Paul DePodesta spent 35 minutes doing their autopsy on a season they can’t wait to forget. The Browns lost their first 14 games before beating San Diego to avoid joining the 2008 Detroit Lions in the exclusive 0-16 club.

There were a few bright spots, but not enough of them as Cleveland’s first season under a new coach and front office produced just one win.

Quarterback Robert Griffin III felt victorious following a demoralizing season.

Of course he was disappointed that he missed 11 weeks after breaking his left shoulder in the opener.

But Griffin, who for more than a flash was the NFL’s next-big-thing before injuries led to his downfall with Washington, feels he restored his image, silenced critics and revived his career.

Cleveland salvaged him.

RG3 wants to stay.

“I want to be here. I’m not an idiot,” he said. “I know a lot of people were writing me off as a player, as a quarterback, saying I couldn’t do it. And to go out and show that I can, I think that proves a lot of people wrong.”

There are still some doubters, but Griffin did finish the season, showing improvement in each of his four straight starts while leading the Browns to their lone win.

The 26-year-old is under contract for next season after signing a two-year, $15 million free agent contract deal in March.

However, the Browns have to decide whether to keep him with a roster bonus of $750,000 due on March 11. If the team doesn’t pay it, Griffin will again be looking for a new team.

Cleveland was at or near the bottom in virtually every meaningful statistical category, and finished last — again — in the AFC North. The climb to the top appears as steep as ever.

“We do have pieces,” Jackson said. “We do have guys that can play in the AFC North. We just need more of them to get to where we want to be.”

On the positive side, the Browns will have the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, another opportunity to perhaps find a franchise quarterback. Cleveland elected not to go after one last year, trading the No. 2 overall selection to Philadelphia for another first-rounder in 2017 and a second-rounder in 2018.