Mike Pettine Comments on Tension in Browns Organization

The Cleveland Browns are 2-10 this season, so it's natural to think there would be tension among the organization.     

It's rare a head coach will actually say that, however. But that is exactly what Cleveland's Mike Pettine did Monday, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com:

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We have to be brutally honest with ourselves and brutally honest not just looking in the mirror but to other parts of the building as well because if you're going to be successful, your building has to be unified. That's a big part of it. That's where the plan starts, and that to me hopefully will drive what changes need to be made. Sometimes you fall into the trap of 'let's just make change.' Well, let's make damn sure the changes we're making are the right ones that are going to get this ship turned and headed in the right direction.

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It's always interesting when someone will make such bold statements but not clearly identify whom he or she is talking about.

The Browns' quarterback situation has been a mess, as three different players have started at the position in 2015, including the polarizing Johnny Manziel.

There were reports the second-year player would start the final four games of the season after the Browns lost starter Josh McCown to an injury and backup Austin Davis struggled, but Pettine refuted those reports Monday, saying he has not named a starter yet and expects to do so Tuesday, per A.J. Perez for USA Today. 

"I haven't spoken to the QBs yet. That's where we are with it," he said.

Given the quarterback situation in Cleveland, Pettine's comments on tension within the organization certainly could have been alluding that. But as he continued his press conference, when asked if the "building is unified," it sounded like he was talking about everyone from ownership to the practice squad, per Cabot:

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It's hard to be at this point. I just think it's human nature. When things don't go well, everybody has a tendency to kind of bunker in and get into that mode. I think we all want what's best for the Cleveland Browns. We all have ideas on how to get it done, and we need to be collaborative and we need to make sure that we're picking the best ideas and pushing those agendas moving forward.

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He didn't stop there as he elaborated some on the feelings inside the clubhouse but continued to cryptically talk about possible changes moving forward, according to Cabot:

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I can't sit here and say, 'Absolutely, we're all on board, 100 percent.' That's not reality because when things don't go well, everybody has their opinions and their reasons why, but it's going to come down to a brutal self-assessment and to be able to have the strength to make tough decisions and trust them and move forward.

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Again, this is not unexpected. The Browns are currently the only team mathematically eliminated from the playoffs with a month still to play. But usually coaches skim over questions that have to do with how the team is functioning behind the scenes, so it will be interesting to see what happens moving forward.

The Browns are coming of a 37-3 loss on Sunday to the Cincinnati Bengals and host the 4-8 San Francisco 49ers in Week 14.