Football

Auggie

(31,798 posts) Tue May 3, 2022, 01:57 PM May 2022

Browns did not 'tank' games, NFL finds

The NFL said Monday that it found “no evidence” that the Cleveland Browns purposely lost games or incentivized personnel to do so after former head coach Hue Jackson alleged in February the team tried to lose during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

The league said Monday that a 60-day independent review determined “none of the allegations could be substantiated.” Former U.S. Attorney and SEC Chair Mary Jo White led the investigative team.

Jackson, also a former Oakland Raiders head coach, went 3-36-1 in two-plus seasons for Cleveland before he was fired eight games into the 2018 season. He later claimed that owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam encouraged him and others to “tank” games to secure a more favorable draft position.

Jackson is now is the head coach at Grambling.

LINK (paywall): https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/Browns-did-not-tank-games-NFL-finds-17143112.php

Just because "no evidence" was found doesn't mean this did not happen. I believe Jackson over Haslam and the NFL.

5 replies

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Highlight:

Browns did not 'tank' games, NFL finds (Original Post) Auggie May 2022 OP

Protecting the integrity of the sport more than specifics bucolic_frolic May 2022 #1

NFL protecting its own.... TheRealNorth May 2022 #2

No. They really sucked. El Supremo May 2022 #3

... milestogo May 2022 #5

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2022 #4

bucolic_frolic

(46,979 posts)

1. Protecting the integrity of the sport more than specifics

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue May 3, 2022, 02:00 PM

May 2022

I recall a final weekend NHL game in the early 70s I think, when the NY Rangers needed to score more goals to either gain a playoff spot or grab a higher spot. It didn't matter if they won 2-1, that did them no good. It mattered that they scored 7or 8 goals, even if they lost 13-6. They did win, 9-5, and made the playoffs, but they played the entire third period with 6 attackers and no goalie in an attempt to run up their goal totals.

Found it: https://bluelinestation.com/2022/04/05/april-5-new-york-rangers-history-wackiest-game-ever/

The reason was that the Rangers would finish in a tie with Montreal for fourth place if they won and the Canadiens lost. Not only only that, if they finished in a tie, they had to finish with more goals than the Canadiens to hold the tiebreaker and make the playoffs.