This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Freddie Kitchens has officially been named the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

In his first message to fans, Kitchens kept it short and simple.

“We are thrilled to announce Freddie Kitchens as the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns,” Dee and Jimmy Haslam said. “He did an outstanding job in his role as coordinator, and we know that will continue as he steps into the role of head coach. Freddie demonstrated all of the qualities that you want in someone who is leading your organization. He has unquestioned leadership. He is a man of integrity. He fosters a collaborative environment. He gets the most out of his players and our players loved playing for him. We are happy to have him leading the Cleveland Browns going forward.”

Kitchens took over as offensive coordinator week 9 of the 2018 season.

Under Kitchens’ watch, Cleveland’s offense averaged better than 395 yards per game.

Kitchens will be introduced as head coach Monday at a noon press conference inside the 7UP City Club at FirstEnergy Stadium.

“We had a deliberate and thorough process and one thing became evident — that Freddie is the best person to lead the Cleveland Browns,” Browns General Manager John Dorsey said. “We saw firsthand what Freddie is able to do. He showed that he is consistent on a day in and day out basis and that he is a true leader. He helped unify our players in a tough time. He raised the bar for our offense last year, and I have no doubt he is going to raise the bar for our entire team.”

“It’s an honor to be named the head coach of the Cleveland Browns,” Kitchens said. “As I’ve said before, I think Cleveland and I get along pretty well. My family and I have really enjoyed our time with this organization and in this community over the last year. I’m grateful for the opportunity and responsibility Dee and Jimmy Haslam have granted me. John Dorsey led a thorough search process and I was excited about having the opportunity to come in and talk about my vision for the future of this football team. There are a lot of great people in this front office that I’m excited to continue to work alongside with a singular focus on winning. I’ve been to one Super Bowl that didn’t end the way I wanted it to and that disappointing memory is what really drives me. Our goal is to work extremely hard to earn the right to raise that Lombardi Trophy for our fans and this city.”

Kitchens played as a quarterback at the University of Alabama. He coached with the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals before making the move to Cleveland.

“It was great working with and learning from Freddie last year. He has such a creative mind. He creates mismatches and just put guys in position to take advantage of their opportunities. He puts trusts in us as players. He’s the same guy every day. I’m really excited about 2019 and the future of the Cleveland Browns,” Baker Mayfield said about Kitchens.

Wide receiver Jarvis Landry said, “I’m excited about the opportunity that he has. I think this is the direction. We can build on all of things that we did well last year.”