ESPN: Browns owner Haslam is sower of dysfunction

Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is pegged as the main culprit of the dysfunction that has plagued his team's football operations ever since he bought the team, according to an in-depth report by ESPN. Haslam alternately listens to too many voices or too few when making or overruling his executives on myriad decisions, leading to the team hiring its fifth head coach in the six years that Haslam and his wife, Dee, have owned the team.

Prior to the hiring of Freddie Kitchens to replace Hue Jackson, fired midway through last season, the only member of the Browns organization who voted to hire Jackson in the first place was Haslam. The other four members of his executive team wanted to hire Sean McDermott, now the coach of the Buffalo Bills, according to Thursday's report. Haslam fired his first CEO, Joe Banner, and former GM Ray Farmer without giving them a reason, according to the report.

Despite pledging to run the Browns like the Rooney family ran the Pittsburgh Steelers, with stability and patience, Haslam has instead helmed an organization that has been a turnstile of executives coming and going and warring with each other over coaching hires, transactions, personnel and draft picks, according to ESPN. "You think you're the one he trusts," a former high-level member of Browns management told ESPN. "By the time you realize that he confides in everyone, it's too late. You're gone."

--Field Level Media