NFL Opens Investigation into Cleveland Browns After Hue Jackson’s Claims of Being Incentivized to Lose Games
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images. Pictured: Hue Jackson (Browns)
The NFL has opened an investigation into the claims made by Hue Jackson of being incentivized to lose games while he was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, the NFL announced on Monday.
The investigation was first reported by Sports Illustrated's Gary Gramling and Connor Orr.
When Brian Flores filed his lawsuit against the NFL, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants and the Denver Broncos, Jackson took to Twitter to claim that Flores is not the only former NFL head coach that had been allegedly incentivized to lose games.
"Well Jimmy Haslam, was happy while we kept losing," Jackson originally tweeted.
One tweeter responded with, "Jimmy Haslam wasn’t offering 100k per loss or Hue would be on the Forbes list."
To which Jackson responded, "Trust me it was a good number!"
There were multiple back-and-forths on Twitter in which Jackson implied being incentivized in some form or fashion.
Jackson, who is currently the head football coach at Grambling State, went on ESPN's SportsCenter and walked back on many of the comments.
He said that he was never given a proper chance to win at Cleveland. He was subsequently offered a contract extension after going 1-31 in the first two seasons.
Mary Jo White, a former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairwoman, will be conducting the independent investigation along with her company Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. White is also conducting the investigation into the Miami Dolphins.
“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," the Browns released in a statement.
"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.”
At the time of Jackson's tweets, the Browns released a statement calling his accusations "completely fabricated."
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