The Mike Pettine era is over.
The Cleveland Browns fired the second-year coach, along with general manager Ray Farmer, following Sunday’s season-ending loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which allowed the AFC North rivals to sneak into the playoffs.
Pettine went 10-22 in two seasons with the Browns, including a 3-13 mark in 2015.
Farmer joined the organization as an assistant GM in 2013 before taking over as general manager in 2014. He was responsible for selecting oft-troubled quarterback Johnny Manziel in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
Cleveland owns the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
“We greatly appreciate Ray and Mike’s dedication and hard work while with the Cleveland Browns,” Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said in a statement released by the team. “We’ve made this decision because we don’t believe our football team is positioned well for the future. We are all disappointed with where we are, and I take full responsibility.”
Cleveland’s next coach will be the 16th in franchise history and the fifth since 2009. No Browns coach has lasted longer than four seasons since New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick coached the team for five seasons, from 1991 to 1995.
Thumbnail photo via Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Images
