USA TODAY Sports

ESPN reported Thursday that Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam hired former head coach Hue Jackson against the recommendation of the rest of the team's brass, which preferred Sean McDermott for the position.

McDermott, who is now the head coach of the Buffalo Bills, was the preferred choice of four of the Browns' five high-ranking officials at the conclusion of the 2015 season. The fifth was Haslam.

The process behind hiring Jackson was one of several notable details in the ESPN story, which sheds new light on the infighting, politics and overall confusion within the Browns organization over the past few years.

Haslam, 64, is portrayed in the story as a central figure in the dysfunction.

Also included in ESPN's report:

► Haslam hosted several guests in the Browns' "war room" during the 2014 draft, when they selected quarterback Johnny Manziel.

Ray Farmer, who was the general manager at the time, wanted to draft wide receiver Brandin Cooks,but traded up to take Manziel because he knew that was Haslam's preference.

► Haslam fired multiple high-ranking executives, including Farmer and CEO Joe Banner, without giving them a reason for his decision.

► When Haslam and general manager John Dorsey fired Jackson last season, the coach asked why and was told the team had "quit" on him — even though several of the Browns' games to that point had reached overtime.

"Get the (expletive) out of my office," Jackson told Dorsey and Haslam.

► Haslam regularly referred to former executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown as "Obama," — apparently because he believed Brown was "eloquent and handsome and had graduated from Harvard Law School."

ESPN reported that some employees believed Haslam was racially stereotyping Brown, who, like President Barack Obama, is black.