Browns Head Coach Hue Jackson Praises QB DeShone Kizer After NFL Debut

The Cleveland Browns may finally have a long-term answer under center.

On Sunday, rookie DeShone Kizer became the 18th quarterback to start for Cleveland since the start of the 2008 season. In a 21-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, he went 20-of-30 for 222 yards. He accounted for both a passing and rushing touchdown along with one interception.

After witnessing Brady Quinn, Brandon Weeden, Austin Davis and Johnny Manziel, the respectable showing makes him look like an MVP in comparison.

While Hue Jackson didn't go that far in his postgame assessment, per Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns head coach spoke fondly of the second-round pick's NFL debut.

"He's a starting quarterback of a National Football League team," Jackson said. "He can do it, and he'll keep getting better at everything we do. We play a lot of different ways. This young man, I told you guys, he earned the right to be the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. You guys saw that today. Not a lot of rookies can go out there against Pittsburgh and do some of the things he did."

Cleveland hasn't won more than seven games in a season since 2007, so nobody can blame Jackson and Browns fans for getting excited about an encouraging loss.