Hue Jackson (born October 22, 1965) is an American football coach who is the head football coach at Grambling State University. An offensive assistant at both the collegiate and professional levels, he held coordinator positions in the National Football League (NFL) with the Washington Redskins in 2003, the Atlanta Falcons in 2007, the Oakland Raiders in 2010, and the Cincinnati Bengals from 2014 to 2015. He also served as the head coach of the Raiders in 2011 and Cleveland Browns from 2016 to 2018. Jackson compiled a 3–36–1 record with the Browns, including a winless season in 2017, which is the worst record among coaches who presided over an NFL team for at least 40 games.
Early life and playing career
Jackson, a native of Los Angeles, was a quarterback at Dorsey High School in his hometown, where he also lettered in basketball. He starred in football at Glendale (CA) Community College in 1983 and 1984, where he earned his associate degree in 1984.
Jackson played quarterback at Pacific in the mid-1980s under Bob Cope. As a junior, Jackson had 1,595 yards of total offense, including 502 yards rushing, second-most on the team. In his senior season, he passed for 1,455 yards and rushed for 417 yards. As a quarterback at University of the Pacific from 1985 to 1986, Jackson threw for 2,544 yards and 19 touchdowns and the Tigers went 9–14 in Jackson's two seasons. He also lettered in basketball in 1986 and earned his degree in physical education.
Coaching career
College
Jackson began his coaching career in 1987 at Pacific, his alma mater. Jackson spent three years there from 1987 to 1989. From 1990 to 1991, Jackson was the running backs coach and special teams coordinator at Cal State Fullerton. In the spring of 1991, he coached the running backs, receivers and special teams for the World League’s inaugural year champion London Monarchs. Later on, he spent four years (1992–1995) at Arizona State, where he was running backs coach for the first three years (1992–1994), then he handled the Sun Devil quarterbacks in 1995. He led California’s high-powered offense in 1996 as its offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, he helped lead the Golden Bears to an Aloha Bowl berth. Jackson served as University of Southern California's offensive coordinator from 1997 to 2000, helping to recruit and develop players, including quarterback Carson Palmer, with whom he was later reunited in Cincinnati and Oakland.
Jackson also held three NFL summer coaching internships, in 1990 with the Los Angeles Rams, 1992 with the Phoenix Cardinals and 1995 with the Washington Redskins.
Washington Redskins
From 2001 until 2002, Jackson was the Redskins' running backs coach under Marty Schottenheimer and Steve Spurrier. In 2001, under Jackson's tutelage, running back Stephen Davis rushed for 1,432 yards, breaking the record he had set in 1999 for most rushing yards in a season by a Redskin. In 2002, Davis was on pace for another 1,000-yard rushing season before suffering a season-ending injury. Jackson was promoted to offensive coordinator in Washington by head coach Steve Spurrier in 2003 and handled the team's offensive play-calling, becoming the only coach to perform that duty other than Spurrier.
Cincinnati Bengals
Jackson was the wide receivers coach for the Cincinnati Bengals for three seasons. Under Jackson's tutelage in Cincinnati, Chad Johnson and T. J. Houshmandzadeh became one of the most prolific wide-receiving tandems in the NFL. In 2005, the Johnson-Houshmandzadeh tandem combined to total 175 receptions for 2,388 yards, while helping the team secure the AFC North title and a playoff berth for the first time in 15 years. In 2006, Johnson (1,369 yards) and Houshmandzadeh (1,081 yards) became the first pair of Bengals to eclipse the 1,000-yard receiving mark in a single season. In each of Jackson's three years in Cincinnati, Johnson was named to the Pro Bowl.
Atlanta Falcons
In 2007, after leaving Cincinnati, Jackson was an NFL offensive coordinator for the second time when he served in that capacity for the Atlanta Falcons under Bobby Petrino and interim head coach Emmitt Thomas.
Baltimore Ravens
From 2008 until 2009, Jackson was Baltimore's quarterbacks coach under head coach John Harbaugh. In 2008, Jackson tutored Joe Flacco, who became the first rookie quarterback to win two playoff games in NFL history as the Ravens advanced to the AFC Championship game. He helped the Ravens advance to the postseason in both seasons.