 The Browns lost at home 37–3 to the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals the following week, dropping the team's record to 2-10 and making them the first team in the 2015 season to be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.On January 3, 2016, soon after the final game of the season (a 28–12 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers), both Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine were fired from their respective positions as general manager and head coach.In January 2016, the Browns made headlines when after firing Farmer and Pettine, promoted general counsel Sashi Brown to executive vice president of football operations, and hired longtime baseball executive Paul DePodesta as chief strategy officer.