Football
Kitchens, Freddie
Freddie Kitchens
- Title:
- Run Game Coordinator/Tight Ends
- Phone:
- 919-966-2575
Freddie Kitchens joined the Carolina football program in February of 2023 as run game coordinator and tight ends coach. A 25-year coaching veteran, Kitchens came to Chapel Hill after spending one season as a Senior Football Analyst at South Carolina following a 16-year run in the NFL that included a stint as the Cleveland Browns head coach and a trip to the Super Bowl with the Arizona Cardinals.
In his first season at UNC, Kitchens expertise was on full display as his tight end room had one of the most productive seasons of any group in the country. With a combined 71 receptions for 1,034 yards and nine TDs, UNC’s tight end room was one of only two in the country to rank in the top five nationally in each category. First-team All-ACC honoree Bryson Nesbit led the group with 41 catches for 585 yards and five TDs. John Copenhaver had an excellent season, despite battling injuries all year, finishing with 18 catches for 279 yards and four TDs, while Kamari Morales went for 11 catches and 158 yards. The group also played a huge role in Carolina’s rushing offense that ranked 19th nationally and third in the ACC at 192.1 yards per game.
While in the NFL, Kitchens worked for the New York Giants, where he served as the tight ends coach in 2020 and as a senior offensive assistant and interim offensive coordinator in 2021 under head coach Joe Judge.
On January 12, 2019, Kitchens became the 17th head coach in Cleveland Browns’ history. He posted a 6-10 mark in his lone season as the Browns’ head coach, defeating all three of their AFC North rivals (Baltimore, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh) in the same season for the first time since the division came into existence in 2002. During the ’19 season, the Browns produced a pair of 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard running back for only the second time in franchise history with the other coming in 2007. Jarvis Landry tallied 1,174 receiving yards, which ranks fourth all-time in Browns’ history, en route to his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection. He was the first Browns receiver selected to consecutive Pro Bowls since Paul Warfield in 1969 and ’70. Odell Beckham amassed 1,035 yards on the year, a feat he had not accomplished with another 1,000-yard receiver on the team. Nick Chubb rushed for 1,494 yards, which ranks fifth all-time in Browns’ history and was the most in franchise history since Jim Brown had 1,544 in 1965.
Kitchens joined the Browns in 2018 as the associate head coach and running backs coach. He was promoted to offensive coordinator midway through that 2018 season and was credited with helping Baker Mayfield have a successful rookie season in which he was runner-up for Rookie of the Year honors. The Browns surrendered just five sacks in the eight games Kitchens served as offensive coordinator, while scoring TDs on 19-of-23 red zone trips (79.2%).
Kitchens moved to the professional ranks in 2006 as a tight ends coach with the Dallas Cowboys under Bill Parcells. While in Dallas, he worked with Jason Witten, who caught 64 passes for 754 yards en route to Pro Bowl honors.
In 2007, Kitchens joined the Arizona Cardinals for an 11-year run, working with the tight ends (2007-12), quarterbacks (2013-16) and running backs (2017), that included a trip to the Super Bowl in 2008. In his first season with the Cardinals, his tight-end group combined for eight TD receptions, which was the most for the franchise’s tight ends since 1988. Kitchens mentored Pro Bowler Carson Palmer in 2015, when Palmer set franchise records in passing yards (4,671) and TDs (35).
In addition to his work with tight ends and quarterbacks, Kitchens coached several of the NFL’s best running backs, including Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson.
Kitchens began his coaching career in the college ranks, working as the running backs and tight ends coach at Glenville State (W.Va.) in 1999, before joining LSU as a graduate assistant in 2000 under Nick Saban. He also logged collegiate stints at North Texas as a running backs coach (2001-03) and at Mississippi State as a tight ends (2004) and running backs (2005) coach.
While at North Texas, Kitchens guided running back Patrick Cobbs to one of the Mean Green’s most impressive seasons. Cobbs led the nation in rushing yards per game (152.7 ypg) and scoring (11.5 ppg) in 2003, while setting three UNT single-season rushing records and the Sun Belt single-season rushing mark. During the 2004 season at Mississippi St., Kitchens mentored redshirt freshman Eric Butler to SEC All-Freshman honors.
Born Nov. 29, 1974 in Gadsden, Ala., Kitchens was named Mr. Football in Alabama following his senior season at Attalla’s Etowah High School. He attended the University of Alabama, where he played quarterback for the Crimson Tide. A three-year starter (1995-97), he threw for 4,668 yards and 30 touchdowns, and led the Tide to wins in the 1995 Citrus Bowl and in the 1997 Outback Bowl. He finished his collegiate career ranked third in the school’s history in career passing attempts, fourth in career passing yards, and fifth in career completions. He also played baseball during his freshman and senior seasons at Alabama.
Kitchens and his wife, Ginger, have two daughters, Bennett and Camden.
The Kitchens File
Personal
Birthdate: Nov. 29, 1974
Hometown: Gadsden, Ala.
Wife: Ginger
Children: daughters Bennett and Camden
Education
College: Alabama ’98
In his first season at UNC, Kitchens expertise was on full display as his tight end room had one of the most productive seasons of any group in the country. With a combined 71 receptions for 1,034 yards and nine TDs, UNC’s tight end room was one of only two in the country to rank in the top five nationally in each category. First-team All-ACC honoree Bryson Nesbit led the group with 41 catches for 585 yards and five TDs. John Copenhaver had an excellent season, despite battling injuries all year, finishing with 18 catches for 279 yards and four TDs, while Kamari Morales went for 11 catches and 158 yards. The group also played a huge role in Carolina’s rushing offense that ranked 19th nationally and third in the ACC at 192.1 yards per game.
While in the NFL, Kitchens worked for the New York Giants, where he served as the tight ends coach in 2020 and as a senior offensive assistant and interim offensive coordinator in 2021 under head coach Joe Judge.
On January 12, 2019, Kitchens became the 17th head coach in Cleveland Browns’ history. He posted a 6-10 mark in his lone season as the Browns’ head coach, defeating all three of their AFC North rivals (Baltimore, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh) in the same season for the first time since the division came into existence in 2002. During the ’19 season, the Browns produced a pair of 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard running back for only the second time in franchise history with the other coming in 2007. Jarvis Landry tallied 1,174 receiving yards, which ranks fourth all-time in Browns’ history, en route to his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection. He was the first Browns receiver selected to consecutive Pro Bowls since Paul Warfield in 1969 and ’70. Odell Beckham amassed 1,035 yards on the year, a feat he had not accomplished with another 1,000-yard receiver on the team. Nick Chubb rushed for 1,494 yards, which ranks fifth all-time in Browns’ history and was the most in franchise history since Jim Brown had 1,544 in 1965.
Kitchens joined the Browns in 2018 as the associate head coach and running backs coach. He was promoted to offensive coordinator midway through that 2018 season and was credited with helping Baker Mayfield have a successful rookie season in which he was runner-up for Rookie of the Year honors. The Browns surrendered just five sacks in the eight games Kitchens served as offensive coordinator, while scoring TDs on 19-of-23 red zone trips (79.2%).
Kitchens moved to the professional ranks in 2006 as a tight ends coach with the Dallas Cowboys under Bill Parcells. While in Dallas, he worked with Jason Witten, who caught 64 passes for 754 yards en route to Pro Bowl honors.
In 2007, Kitchens joined the Arizona Cardinals for an 11-year run, working with the tight ends (2007-12), quarterbacks (2013-16) and running backs (2017), that included a trip to the Super Bowl in 2008. In his first season with the Cardinals, his tight-end group combined for eight TD receptions, which was the most for the franchise’s tight ends since 1988. Kitchens mentored Pro Bowler Carson Palmer in 2015, when Palmer set franchise records in passing yards (4,671) and TDs (35).
In addition to his work with tight ends and quarterbacks, Kitchens coached several of the NFL’s best running backs, including Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson.
Kitchens began his coaching career in the college ranks, working as the running backs and tight ends coach at Glenville State (W.Va.) in 1999, before joining LSU as a graduate assistant in 2000 under Nick Saban. He also logged collegiate stints at North Texas as a running backs coach (2001-03) and at Mississippi State as a tight ends (2004) and running backs (2005) coach.
While at North Texas, Kitchens guided running back Patrick Cobbs to one of the Mean Green’s most impressive seasons. Cobbs led the nation in rushing yards per game (152.7 ypg) and scoring (11.5 ppg) in 2003, while setting three UNT single-season rushing records and the Sun Belt single-season rushing mark. During the 2004 season at Mississippi St., Kitchens mentored redshirt freshman Eric Butler to SEC All-Freshman honors.
Born Nov. 29, 1974 in Gadsden, Ala., Kitchens was named Mr. Football in Alabama following his senior season at Attalla’s Etowah High School. He attended the University of Alabama, where he played quarterback for the Crimson Tide. A three-year starter (1995-97), he threw for 4,668 yards and 30 touchdowns, and led the Tide to wins in the 1995 Citrus Bowl and in the 1997 Outback Bowl. He finished his collegiate career ranked third in the school’s history in career passing attempts, fourth in career passing yards, and fifth in career completions. He also played baseball during his freshman and senior seasons at Alabama.
Kitchens and his wife, Ginger, have two daughters, Bennett and Camden.
The Kitchens File
Personal
Birthdate: Nov. 29, 1974
Hometown: Gadsden, Ala.
Wife: Ginger
Children: daughters Bennett and Camden
Education
College: Alabama ’98
Kitchens Coaching History
| Years | School | Title |
| 2023-present | North Carolina | Run Game Coordinator/Tight Ends |
| 2022 | South Carolina | Senior Analyst |
| 2021 | New York Giants | Interim Offensive Coordinator/Senior Offensive Analyst |
| 2020 | New York Giants | Tight Ends |
| 2019 | Cleveland Browns | Head Coach |
| 2018 | Cleveland Browns | Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs |
| 2017 | Arizona Cardinals | Running Backs |
| 2013-16 | Arizona Cardinals | Quarterbacks |
| 2007-12 | Arizona Cardinals | Tight Ends |
| 2006 | Dallas Cowboys | Tight Ends |
| 2005 | Mississippi St. | Running Backs |
| 2004 | Mississippi St. | Tight Ends |
| 2001-03 | North Texas | Running Backs |
| 2000 | LSU | Graduate Assistant |
| 1999 | Glenville St. | Running Backs/Tight Ends |
Postseason Experience As a Coach
| Years | School | Bowl |
| 2023 | North Carolina | Duke's Mayo Bowl |
| 2022 | South Carolina | Gator Bowl |
| 2015 | Arizona Cardinals | NFC Conference Championship |
| 2014 | Arizona Cardinals | NFC Wild Card |
| 2009 | Arizona Cardinals | NFC Divisional Round |
| 2008 | Arizona Cardinals | Super Bowl |
| 2006 | Dallas Cowboys | NFC Wild Card |
| 2003 | North Texas | New Orleans Bowl |
| 2002 | North Texas | New Orleans Bowl |
| 2001 | North Texas | New Orleans Bowl |
| 2000 | LSU | Peach Bowl |
Postseason Experience As a Player
| Years | School | Bowl |
| 1997 | Alabama | Outback Bowl |
| 1995 | Alabama | Citrus Bowl |
| 1993 | Alabama | Gator Bowl |