When Jimmy Haslam bought the majority stake in the Cleveland Browns from Randy Lerner in 2012, he came with a promise, which was to bring back the former glory of the team. With just 1 playoff win since his takeover, it is clear that Haslam is far from fulfilling his promise. While fans still await for the Browns to be successful, he and his wife, Dee Haslem, also purchased a minority stake in the Milwaukee Bucks for $800 million.

Haslam serves as the co-governor of the team, and for the first time, publicly spoke in a press conference to introduce the new Bucks coach, Taylor Jenkins. With him having 25% of the stake in the Bucks, Haslam was asked if he would be more involved in the team operations.

“Do I think we’ll be here more? I do,” Jimmy Haslam said in the press conference. “Very, very excited to continue working with Jon, and we’ve already established a great relationship with Taylor to work with him and the guys to build the kind of team that this community deserves.”

Aside from the Browns and the Bucks, Haslam Sports Group also owns the soccer team Columbus Crew. Among all the teams under his ownership, Crew is the only team that has won a trophy in recent years, with their win coming in the 2024 Leagues Cup.

Despite the recent comments, Haslam Sports Group will keep managing the Browns. His son-in-law, JW Johnson, is an executive and partner on the team. 

While Browns fans will be worried that they will receive divided attention, Jimmy Haslam is not the only owner in the NFL who also owns an NBA team. Stan Kroenke, Gayle Benson, and Josh Harris are also owners of the Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, and the Philadelphia 76ers, respectively.

Jimmy’s direct influence has always been a major factor for the Browns. He often denies meddling in football operations, yet his fingerprints are all over the team’s biggest mistakes over 14 years. Haslam pushed for the wasted draft of quarterback Johnny Manziel and backed the failed ‘Moneyball’ experiment with Paul DePodesta. The Deshaun Watson contract in 2022 also proved to be a transaction that attracted a lot of criticism, as the player has only played 19 NFL games in four seasons with the team.

Despite the shadow cast by these developments, at the start of the season, Jimmy Haslam issued a public challenge to the team, which the team has seemingly passed.

Browns Overcome Jimmy Haslam’s 120-Day Offseason Challenge

The Browns’ front office had made public the decision to fire head coach Kevin Stefanski in January this year. The same day, Jimmy Haslam led the press conference and called the upcoming 120 days ‘crucial’ for the future of the NBA side. That deadline passed this Tuesday with little fanfare but plenty of action. 

Cleveland moved quickly to find a head coach, with their search only lasting three weeks. By the end of January, they had named Todd Monken as their new leader. He wasn’t the flashy pick many expected, but his experience makes him a very solid choice. After this, their focus shifted entirely to the 2026 NFL Draft. GM Andrew Berry spent months doing his due diligence before the clock started on April 23.   

On paper, this is easily the most impressive draft since he joined the team in 2020. The GM prioritized picking up offensive playmakers and line support to bolster their roster. In the first round of the draft, Berry picked Spencer Fano and wide receiver KC Concepcion. This was a historic decision as it was the first time the franchise picked up two WRs in their top 40 picks. In the second round, they set their eyes on the wide receiver Denzel Boston.

Now that Browns’ athletes arrive at the minicamp, the pressure of Jimmy Haslam’s 120-day challenge is over. When this deadline ended on May 5, the front office would have felt that they had actually met the challenge. While success is never guaranteed in the NFL, the foundation for the Browns feels remarkably solid for the first time in years.