Hue Jackson Says 'There Is No Doubt I Was Lied To' by Browns Ownership

Former Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson wants to set the record straight about his time in Cleveland. 

Jackson, who led the team to a 3-36-1 record through parts of three seasons—including an 0-16 campaign—said the Browns never told him they intended to rebuild the roster during his tenure in an interview with ESPN 850 on Monday (via Tom Withers of the Associated Press).

"There is no doubt I was lied to by ownership and the executive team," he said, noting there was a rift between the front office and coaching staff. 

Jackson also said he signed a contract extension with the team in 2017, when he was 1-23 overall with the franchise, but the team refused to make that information public. 

He said the team was focused on analytics and data rather than football, and "they were going to find a way to use us as an experiment to make sure that they got the data that they needed for it to get better—at the expense of whoever—and that’s not right." Jackson also said the team "lied to try and paint the picture that I was against analytics."

"I want to make sure everybody knows and understands exactly what went on in Cleveland," Jackson said. "The truth needs to come out. I am tired of being the brunt of jokes and memes and things that people say when they don't know."

The 55-year-old, who is no longer working in the NFL, is writing a book about his experience with the franchise. The Browns refused to comment on Jackson's interview, per Withers.