Cleveland Browns hire former Chiefs GM John Dorsey

Former Chiefs general manager John Dorsey has a new gig.

Dorsey, who worked for the Chiefs from 2013 to this summer, has been hired to be the Cleveland Browns’ new general manager, the Browns announced on Thursday night.

“We are thrilled to have John Dorsey lead our football operations,” Browns team owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement on Thursday. “John has been immersed in the NFL for 26 years, won two Super Bowls, built sustainable winning football teams and is highly respected for his football acumen. We know we have a critical and very positive opportunity ahead of us to profoundly impact the foundation of this football team.

“Bringing in someone of John Dorsey’s caliber, his track record of success and his experience, significantly strengthens our opportunities to build a winning football team and that has been, and continues to be, what we want for our fans.”

Along with coach Andy Reid, Dorsey was hired after the disastrous 2012 season to steady the ship in Kansas City. The Chiefs followed with an 11-5 campaign in Reid and Dorsey’s first season, and proceeded to go 43-21 with three playoff berths over their four years together as the Chiefs became one of the league’s consistent winners.

Between the two, however, Reid proved to be the only one who would reap the rewards of that labor. With both men set to enter the final year of their contracts this spring, Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt –– after maintaining repeatedly that he wanted both Reid and Dorsey back –– opted to issue Reid an extension, but fire Dorsey.

“I notified John that we would not be extending his contract beyond the 2017 season, and after consideration, we felt it was in his best interests and the best interests of the team to part ways now,” Hunt said in a release announcing Dorsey’s departure in June, which was sent about a half-hour after the Chiefs announced Reid’s contract extension.

The Star later learned that Hunt’s decision to fire Dorsey was fueled, in part, by concerns about his internal communication and management styles, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Chiefs instead promoted Brett Veach –– Dorsey’s No. 2 guy at the time –– to the spot after conducting what the club deemed a national search. Reid has a history with Veach –– he gave him his first NFL job –– and respects Veach’s organizational skills and ability to spot talent, which Hunt has mentioned repeatedly as Veach’s noted strengths.

“I think Brett’s done a fantastic job,” Hunt said before the Chiefs’ 28-17 loss to Dallas on Nov. 6. “General managers are measured over years, not months. Particularly given the timing of when he assumed that role, it’s hard to have a big impact on the season. But I like a lot of things he’s done, and some of the players he’s brought in.”

Two of those players presumably include inside linebacker Reggie Ragland, who was acquired in August for a 2019 fourth-round pick and has recently earned raves from the coaching staff for his play, and kicker Harrison Butker, who converted 23 straight field goals after being plucked from the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad the same month.

Hunt said he’s also been happy with Veach’s management and communication skills.

“My observation of how he’s running his department and how he’s interacting with Andy and the football staff, he’s everything I hoped he would be,” Hunt said. “He’s off to a great start ... I think he’s effectively communicating his expectations. I think everybody knows where everybody stands within the organization.

“When we have an issue with a player and we need to bring in a replacement, the communication is good and his communication is great, as well.”

Despite Dorsey’s apparent issues in those areas, however, he still had some supporters in the organization and a number of fans across the league at the time of his dismissal, as did an overwhelming amount of league sources who dealt with him on a regular basis — approaching a dozen — communicated their surprise as his hiring and respect for him in interviews with The Star.

Among Dorsey’s strengths, they noted, were his passion for the game, constant availability and eye for talent.

It makes sense that the latter skill, in particular, would be attractive for the Browns, who at 0-12 could potentially become only the second team in the modern era to go 0-16 (joining the 2008 Detroit Lions). The Browns are slated to have an abundance of picks this year in the NFL Draft –– including an additional first, two seconds, a fourth and a fifth –– and approximately $100 million in cap space for 2018.

Dorsey, who has spent the last several months breaking down both NFL and college tape in preparation for the 2018 season, said in a statement that he is excited to begin a new chapter of his football life.

“Football is what I know, it is what I love, it is what I have worked my whole career at and I thrive on every element that goes into building a winning football team,” Dorsey said. “I have spent a majority of my football life with two franchises that also have storied history and I think I have a feel for the mentality of the fans in Cleveland and what it would mean to recreate the success this franchise once had.

“I also have quickly realized how passionate Jimmy and Dee are about bringing a winning team to the city and would have not taken the job if I didn’t think the right ownership was in place. I am eager to work with (coach) Hue (Jackson), his staff, and our personnel department and help bring us the success these fans so deserve.”

This story was originally published December 7, 2017 at 10:05 PM with the headline "Cleveland Browns hire former Chiefs GM John Dorsey."