CHICAGO, Ill. -- In the wake of a report that Browns coach Hue Jackson may have lost the locker room, linebacker Christian Kirksey says that's not the case.

"Yeah, Hue still has the locker room,'' Kirksey said after Sunday's 20-3 loss to the Bears.

Does Jackson have the confidence of Kirksey, one of the leaders on the team?

"Yeah, as long as I'm playing for this team, I will stand behind Hue,'' said Kirksey. "That's my head coach. Guys are still rallying behind him. We've just got to get through this phase.''

Is that the sentiment of the whole locker room?



"That's what I'm personally thinking,'' said Kirksey. "I don't know what other people are thinking. The locker room and the vibe seems to be the same.''



Kirksey said Jackson has been the same throughout this 0-15 season. In his second season, Jackson is now 1-30.

"He's been the same guy, just trying to lead us,'' said Kirksey. "That's our leader so we're just following him.''

Kirksey's not worried about Jackson getting fired in spite of Jimmy Haslam saying he'll be back for 2018 and beyond.

"No. You just control what you can control,'' he said. "As long as you look in the mirror every day and look at yourself and say, have you gave it your all? Can't live with no regrets. Everything else will fall into place. You can't worry about those decisions. You've just got to keep being the best you that you can be for this team. Be the best teammate and everything else will unfold.''

Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio reported on Saturday night that "there's a concern Jackson has lost the team'' in part because of his comments on Friday about running back Isaiah Crowell. Defending his decision to abandon the run in a 27-10 loss to the Ravens after Crowell's 59-yard blast in the first half, Jackson said "five people could've run through that hole'' and that he's looking for more gritty running on a down-for-down basis.

Florio also stated that there are also rumblings of friction between defensive players and coordinator Gregg Williams, and his son Blake, the linebackers coach.

Kirksey at first declined to address the report, saying "what we're trying to do is focus on the Steelers. That's my No. 1 priority, that's our No. 1 priority, so we'll be prepared for them, for the last game.''

He then specifically answered that Jackson hasn't lost the locker room.

Jackson, who's also on the Bengals' radar for their head coaching vacancy if Marvin Lewis leaves, believes his team is still fighting hard for him as he stated when asked about clinching the No. 1 pick for the second year in a row.

"Oh wow, that's nice, I guess,'' he said. "I mean, these guys - honestly, I could (not) care less about the number one overall pick. I'm more so about that locker room. Those guys fight their tails off for me, they work hard, they do everything I ask. Like I told them, my disappointment is not getting them to winning. And that's unfortunate. We're not making enough plays to do it. That's kind of where we are."

As for his mindset at 1-30, he reiterated how tough it is to take. With former head of football operations Sashi Brown fired, all the heat is now being directed at Jackson.

"Again, I'm p-----,'' Jackson said. "Let's just be honest and put it out there, I'm disappointed, I'm p---- off, because I never saw this being this way in my two years here, ever. I've been coaching football a long time; been through a lot of things, seen a lot of things. And I just know without question that we're going to get this fixed.

"I was able to look right into certain people's eyes right after the game, right in our locker room, and I know we're going to get this fixed. It's just hard going through it. This is the hardest thing I've ever been through in my life. So hopefully we'll get on the other side of this. We're going to get this football team where it needs to be. Right now we're going to take the lumps. And we deserve them.

"This is who we are and what we are. Our record is what it is, what it's been for the last two years. But like I said, I'm not going to let this define our organization, our players, our coaches, as we move forward. This is not going to be who we are.''

He also declined to confirm a report that he'll hire an offensive coordinator for next season.

"I'm not going to talk about next year,'' he said. "I want to talk about next week. We have another opportunity next week to play against Pittsburgh. People say all kinds of things but I haven't put that out there."

Myles Garrett, who's pick-six was wiped out by Carl Nassib's offsides penalty, believes the Browns are headed in the right direction despite the record.

"Guys can't see it right now, but I feel like next year we'll take a big step and each and every game after that we're going to be better and better,'' he said.

As for clinching the No. 1 pick for the second year in a row, Garrett said, "Crap happens. If we're No. 1 again, then bring somebody who can make plays and who's going to be a difference maker, whether it's offense, defense, special teams. Wherever they can make their mark and they believe in him, bring him in.''