It sounds like Hue Jackson won’t be leaving the AFC North after all. The former Browns head coach is quickly expected to join the Cincinnati Bengals’ coaching staff in an unspecified role, per insider Ian Rapoport.
The surprising move comes just a few weeks after Cleveland unceremoniously dismissed Jackson in the middle of the season. Now, he will be teaming up with Marvin Lewis to help lead the 5-4 Bengals to what would be their first playoff win in over two decades.
Sources: Former #Browns coach Hue Jackson is slated to be in Cincinnati imminently to join the staff of #Bengals coach Marvin Lewis. The title is not yet clear.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 13, 2018
Jackson had a massively disappointing tenure as head coach of the Browns, but had a serviceable run as a coordinator in Cincinnati under Lewis’s leadership. Returning to his roots might be just the thing to rejuvenate his career.
The Bengals have a position open since they let go of defensive coordinator Teryl Austin earlier in the week. Jackson is an offensive guy, but could allow Lewis to focus his attention on the struggling D while Jackson tends more to Andy Dalton and company.
Hue Jackson is back in Cincy 😱
Ex-Browns coach joining Bengals staff, but his "title is not yet clear," per @RapSheet pic.twitter.com/bSoIaHLOM4
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) November 13, 2018
Jackson is definitely happy to just have a job again, but it has to be even sweeter to team up with his old friends against the team that fired him. As both teams try to keep their playoff hopes alive, the hiring adds yet another level of intrigue to what’s sure to be an exciting divisional matchup on November 25.
