Haslam: Firing Jackson, Haley is a 'rebooting'

Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is adamant that Monday's firings of head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley don't mean his team is giving up on the season with eight games left.

"This is not a throwing in of the towel," Haslam said on Monday afternoon, according to Pat McManamon of ESPN. "It is a rebooting, if you will, an opportunity to give them a fresh start these last eight games."

Gregg Williams, who was hired as defensive coordinator in January, will serve as interim head coach, a move Haslam believes will improve the team.

"I think that we put the organization in a better place today than it was yesterday moving forward," Haslam said. "And we are comfortable with the decision."

Williams is the fifth head coach to serve under Haslam since it was announced he would purchase the Browns ahead of the 2012 season. The team has gone 22-81-1 during that time.

Haslam admits fault for Cleveland's poor record and his head coaches struggling.

"I will accept the blame because, ultimately, it is the person at the head of the ship," Haslam said. "I will take the blame as ownership. I can't explain it more than that. We have had different situations with different people. I know that it is something that we are not going to tolerate moving forward."