Freddie Kitchens

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Freddie Kitchens
refer to caption
Kitchens with the Cleveland Browns in 2019
Free agent
Position:Offensive assistant
Personal information
Born: (1974-11-29) November 29, 1974 (age 47)
Gadsden, Alabama
Career information
High school:Attalla (AL) Etowah
College:Alabama
Career history
As a coach:
  • Glenville State (1999)
    Running backs coach & tight end coach
  • LSU (2000)
    Graduate assistant
  • North Texas (2001–2003)
    Running backs coach
  • Mississippi State (2004)
    Tight ends coach
  • Mississippi State (2005)
    Running backs coach
  • Dallas Cowboys (2006)
    Tight ends coach
  • Arizona Cardinals (2007–2012)
    Tight ends coach
  • Arizona Cardinals (2013–2016)
    Quarterbacks coach
  • Arizona Cardinals (2017)
    Running backs coach
  • Cleveland Browns (2018)
    Associate head coach & running backs coach
  • Cleveland Browns (2018)
    Offensive coordinator
  • Cleveland Browns (2019)
    Head coach
  • (2020)
    Tight end coach
  • New York Giants (2021–present)
    Senior offensive assistant & interim offensive coordinator
Career highlights and awards
Head coaching record
Regular season:6–10 (.375)
Coaching stats at PFR

Charles Frederick Kitchens Jr. (born November 29, 1974) is an American football coach who was a senior offensive assistant and interim offensive coordinator for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns and an assistant coach for the Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Mississippi State Bulldogs, North Texas Mean Green (University of North Texas), LSU Tigers and Glenville State College Pioneers. He is known for serving as head coach during the Browns' disappointing 2019 season after many analysts pegged the team to make the playoffs. After going 6-10, the Browns fired Kitchens after one season.

Playing career[]

Freddie Kitchens was a quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide from 1993 to 1998, during which time he threw for 4,668 passing yards and 30 touchdowns. In his three seasons as a starter, Alabama won the 1995 Citrus Bowl, and the 1997 Outback Bowl.[1]

At the time of his departure, he ranked third in the school's history in career passing attempts, fourth in career passing yards, and fifth in career completions.[2]

During his time at Alabama, Kitchens was given the nickname Thick by offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.

Coaching career[]

Dallas Cowboys[]

Following his college coaching career, he served as an assistant coach for several college teams, before joining the Dallas Cowboys staff as tight ends coach in 2006[3] under Bill Parcells.

Arizona Cardinals[]

Kitchens then worked on the Arizona Cardinals staff for 11 years, from 2007 to 2017. In 2008, Kitchens' 2nd year with the team, the Cardinals appeared in Super Bowl XLIII, their first Super Bowl in franchise history but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-23. He coached multiple positions, including tight ends, quarterbacks, and running backs.[4]

Cleveland Browns[]

2018[]

In 2018, Kitchens was hired as running backs coach for the Cleveland Browns.[5]

On October 29, after week 8 of the season, the Browns fired head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Gregg Williams was named interim head coach, and Kitchens was promoted to offensive coordinator.[6] The Browns finished the season with a 5–3 record, after a 2–5–1 start under Jackson. Kitchens was credited for the improvement of the Browns offense and was also acknowledged for helping Baker Mayfield have a successful rookie season. Mayfield was the runner-up for NFL rookie of the year.

2019[]

On January 12, 2019, Kitchens was promoted to the head coaching position by the Cleveland Browns.[7] He was the 17th head coach in Browns history, and the ninth since the franchise's reactivation in 1999.

On September 8, 2019, the Browns lost to the Tennessee Titans by a score of 43–13 in Kitchens' head coaching debut. The loss marked the 15th consecutive week one without a win for the Browns. Kitchens was fired a few hours after the final game of the season, a 33-23 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns finished the season with a disappointing 6-10 record.[8]

New York Giants[]

On January 27, 2020, the New York Giants hired Kitchens as their tight ends coach.[9] His hiring was strongly supported by newly hired Giants head coach Joe Judge, who had worked with Kitchens at Mississippi State. The two are reportedly good friends.[10] When Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the Giants' Monday night game against the Cleveland Browns, Kitchens' former team, Kitchens was named offensive coordinator and play-caller for the game.[11] The Giants would go on to lose to the Browns 20-6.[12] It was announced for the 2021 season he would switch positions and become senior offensive assistant.[13] Following the firing of Jason Garrett, Kitchens was named interim OC for the Giants.

Head coaching record[]

Team Year Regular season Postseason
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
CLE 2019 6 10 0 .375 3rd in AFC North — — — —
Total 6 10 0 .375 0 0 .000

Personal life[]

Kitchens has two daughters, Bennett and Camden, with his wife, Ginger.[14]

In 2013, Kitchens underwent emergency surgery to repair an aortic dissection.[14][15]

References[]

  1. ^ Edwards, Josh (November 29, 2018). "Freddie Kitchens has fun at Nick Chubb's expense in practice". Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  2. ^ "Freddie Kitchens". www.clevelandbrowns.com. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  3. ^ "New TE Coach Kitchens Makes Jump To NFL". DallasCowboys.com. June 29, 2006. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  4. ^ Cabot, Mary Kay (January 8, 2019). "Freddie Kitchens has a good chance of being named the Browns head coach, sources say". Cleveland.com. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  5. ^ Risdon, Jeff (January 24, 2018). "Browns hire Freddie Kitchens as new RB coach". USA Today. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  6. ^ Bielik, Tim (October 29, 2018). "Freddie Kitchens named Browns offensive coordinator: Get to know more about him". Cleveland.com. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  7. ^ Gribble, Andrew (January 12, 2019). "Freddie Kitchens named Browns head coach". NFL.com. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  8. ^ McConnell, Martin (September 8, 2019). "Cleveland Browns: Week 1 loss to Tennessee instant reactions". Dawg Pound Daily. Fansided.
  9. ^ Ranaan, Jordan (January 27, 2020). "Ex-Browns coach Freddie Kitchens joins Giants as tight ends coach, source says". ESPN. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  10. ^ Benton, Dan (January 28, 2020). "Giants' Joe Judge 'was adamant' that Freddie Kitchens join his staff". USA Today. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  11. ^ Eisen, Michael (December 17, 2020). "Jason Garrett tests positive for COVID-19; Freddie Kitchens to call plays vs. Browns". Giants.com. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  12. ^ New York Giants. "Freddie Kitchens on calling plays vs the Browns". New York Giants.
  13. ^ "New York Giants: Freddie Kitchens's promotion could lead to a more vertical offense". Empire Sports Media. July 26, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Somers, Kent (June 5, 2013). "Cardinals QB coach undergoes emergency heart surgery". USA Today. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  15. ^ Reed, Jesse (January 9, 2020). "Giants HC Joe Judge looking into signing Freddie Kitchens to offensive staff". yardbarker.com. Retrieved January 10, 2020.

External links[]

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