BEREA, Ohio — Sashi Brown, the new Cleveland Browns’ executive vice president of football operations, addressed the team on Monday morning, along with owner Jimmy Haslam, about the future of the franchise after the firings of coach Mike Pettine and general manager Ray Farmer following Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Although many of the players admitted to not having much interaction with Brown in his three years with the club, the message was well received by some of the players, particularly veteran tight end Gary Barnidge, whom the team recently signed to a long-term extension.
“He said we’re going to get things turned around and that we’re going to get things on the right track,” Barnidge said. “It wasn’t a super-long meeting, just a great meeting. We had other things we had to get done, obviously, but I’m excited about it. I think we’ll be fine.”
Wide receiver Andrew Hawkins added, “He’s very impressive. I’m a fan of Sashi Brown and the way he approaches things and I think he has the knowledge. If he’s been in it long enough to understand everything, I’m all for it. I’m on the side of putting Sashi Brown in charge.”
Including the 2015 regular season, Brown has been in the NFL for 11 years, and all of his previous experience came on the business side of the organization, where he handled contract negotiations, the management of the salary cap, government affairs, employment matters, insurance and risk management, licensing and intellectual property issues and litigation management.
Under Brown’s tenure, the Browns have worked an agreement with the city of Cleveland for $125 million in renovations to be made to FirstEnergy Stadium, a unique broadcast rights deal with competing radio stations, corporate partnerships with Anheuser Busch and Pepsi, as well as University Hospitals to create a medical services program for the players.
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Article Courtesy of WKYC Channel 3 News Cleveland
Picture Courtesy of USA Today and WKYC Channel 3 News Cleveland
