There is no doubt that the person who leads a team is the most important.

Sure, it helps to have talent throughout the roster. But as former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said, “Remember when we lose, I lose, when we win, [the players] win.”

That’s exactly what happened for the Cleveland Browns in early January when two-year head coach Mike Pettine was relieved of his duties following a 28-12 loss at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

That night, team owner Jimmy Haslam addressed the state of the franchise in a press conference.

“We’ll begin the search for the head coach right away. There are several key criteria we’re looking for in our head coach,” Haslam said. “The first is intelligence. We need somebody that’s smart.

“Obviously, we need somebody who’s a strong leader, somebody who is collaborative and can work well with others, a good team player, if you will. An individual that can put together a good staff, that’s incredibly important in today’s NFL as a complex as the game is, and somebody who has an intense desire to win and improve every day.”

More than a week later, the Browns believed they found someone who fits that mold. Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was selected from a list of four other candidates.

Jackson, 50, has been in coaching since 1987, stopping at colleges throughout the west coast as well as the short lived NFL Europe.

Despite becoming an NFL assistant in 2001, Jackson has only been a head coach for one season. In 2011, he led the Oakland Raiders to an 8 – 8 record before he was abruptly fired. He has also served as offensive coordinator for four NFL teams over five seasons.

Although this job is a tough one, Jackson appears ready to get to work.

“I am excited about the work that needs to be done,” Jackson said at his press conference. “I have already rolled up my sleeves and I am ready to go.”