Freddie Kitchens Threatens to Fire Any Browns Employee Leaking Information

Freddie Kitchens clearly doesn't like internal information getting out to the media. 

The Cleveland Browns head coach threatened all employees Monday by saying they will lose their job if they leak intel from the organization, via Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports:

"The days of inside information and the days of unnamed sources and stuff like that have ended. So you're not going to get any information like that, ever. Anybody. And I ever see it, they're fired, immediately. And that's how we're running this organization. I can take it. [Cleveland GM] John Dorsey can take it. We won't crack, I promise you." 

Kitchens is in his first year as an NFL head coach after ending last season as the Browns offensive coordinator.

The 44-year-old began last year as Cleveland's running backs coach but was promoted when Hue Jackson and Todd Haley were fired and Gregg Williams became the head coach. The team went 5-3 in the second half of the year after going 2-5-1 under Jackson.

Although Kitchens has gotten a lot of credit for the turnaround by helping quarterback Baker Mayfield, former offensive line coach Bob Wylie said on The Zach Gelb Show this week that quarterback coach Kenny Zampese was more responsible for the success.

"Baker likes Freddie," Wylie said, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "There's a good relationship there even though Kenny Zampese did all the coaching there."

These comments—in addition to the coach's complaints about being let go—clearly disturbed Kitchens and seemingly led to his proclamation about stopping leaks.

Leaks are part of sports with reporters getting private info and getting it out to fans in a hurry, and the Browns have not been immune.

Mike Silver of NFL Network reported in June that the transition to new offensive coordinator Todd Monken "has not gone as smoothly as planned." There has also been plenty of discussion about Duke Johnson's trade status, including a report from Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports that the running back won't be dealt until midseason.

Kitchens doesn't want these types of things getting out to the public.