Prior to the welcome press conference at 4:45 PM EST, Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner released the following statements regarding the hiring of MIke Pettine as the team's next head coach:
Jimmy Haslam: "We are thrilled to announce Mike Pettine as the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Mike is the epitome of what we want the Browns to be -- tough, aggressive and innovative -- with a blue-collar, team-first mentality. He knows what's necessary to beat teams in the AFC North. Most importantly, Mike has repeatedly shown the ability to lead his players to consistent improvement and success, clearly what we are striving for as he leads the Cleveland Browns moving forward."
Joe Banner: "We wanted to be thorough from the start and we interviewed as many people as we could. From that group, we hired the best individual for this job. Our players and fans are going to really enjoy Mike Pettine and his leadership style. We’re excited to have him out in front of our team, and we look forward to working closely with him."