MANAGER. AT 32 YEARS OLD, HE MIGHT BE THE
NEW PERSPECTIVE THAT TEAM NEEDS.
>> OUR VERY DISTINCT PRIVILEGE
TO INTRODUCE THE NEW GM OF THE
CLEVELAND BROWNS, THE YOUNGEST
GM IN CLEVELAND HISTORY, ANDREW
BERRY.
BERRY. >> Reporter: ANDREW BERRY WAS
DRIVING TO THE AIRPORT WITH HIS
WIFE AND KIDS WHEN HE FOUND OUT
HE GOT THE GENERAL MANAGER JOB.
HIS REACTION, TELLING.
DID YOU PULL OVER?
>> NO.
>> NO. WE WERE TRYING TO CATCH A
FLIGHT.
FLIGHT. WE WERE RACING TO THE AIRPORT AT
THE TIME.
THE TIME. WE EXCHANGED HUGS AND A FEW
TEARS AND WERE READY TO GO.
>> Reporter: BERRY IS A GUY THAT
FOCUSES ON HIS MISSION.
WHETHER IT’S GETTING TO THE
AIRPORT ON TIME OR TAKING ON ONE
OF THE MOST BELEAGUERED TEAMS IN
NFL HISTORY, THE CLEVELAND
BROWNS.
BROWNS. HOW MUCH PRESSURE DO YOU FEEL
PERSONALLY, TO TURN THIS
OPERATION AROUND?
OPERATION AROUND? >> I DON’T KNOW THAT PRESSURE IS
THE RIGHT WORD.
IT’S REALLY MORE EXCITEMENT FOR
ME.
ME. THAT’S THE OVERWHELMING SENSE.
>> Reporter: A TWIN GROWING UP
IN MARYLAND, BERRY’S PARENTS PUT
ACADEMICS OVER ATHLETICS.
>> THE MANDATE WAS, ALL RIGHT,
WE’RE GOING TO PULL YOU OUT OF
ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES IF YOU
DON’T GET STRAIGHT-"As" AND DO
WELL IN SCHOOL.
WE WANTED TO BE ON THE FOOTBALL
FIELD, THE BASKETBALL COURT,
PLAY BASEBALL.
PLAY BASEBALL. >> Reporter: THE DEAL PLAYED
OFF.
OFF. NAMED CO-VALEDICTORIAN WITH HIS
BROTHER, HE HEADED TO HARVARD
WHERE HE PLAYED QUARTERBACK AND
KEPT UP THE STUDIES.
YOU HAVE A MASTERS IN COMPUTER
SCIENCE.
SCIENCE. >> THAT’S RIGHT.
A BACHELORS IN ECONOMICS AND A
MASTERS IN COMMUTER SCIENCE.
>> Reporter: HE TOILED AS A
SCOUT FOR THE COLTS.
HIS TRAVELS FOR THE TEAM
INCLUDED A MEMORABLE STOP IN
CLEVELAND.
CLEVELAND. >> IT WAS RAIN, SLEET, BLOWING
SIDEWAYS, MISERABLE CONDITIONS
TO BE OUTSIDE.
THE TEAM WASN’T DOING WELL.
AND YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT
IT WAS A PLAYOFF GAME IN
JANUARY, WITH HOW THE FANS WERE
RESPONDING TO THE TEAM.
THAT WAS MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO
THE CLEVELAND BROWNS’ FAN BASE.
THE TEAM HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE
TO THE AREA OF NORTHEAST OHIO.
>> Reporter: ONE OF THE KNOCKS
ON YOUR HIRE, YOU WERE VICE
PRESIDENT OF PLAYER PERSONNEL
DURING A STRETCH WHERE THE TEAM
WON ONE GAME IN TWO SEASONS.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT
CRITICISM?
CRITICISM? >> THE FOCUS WAS A LITTLE MORE
ON ACCUMULATING ASSETS, WHETHER
IT WAS DRAFT PICKS, YOUNG
PLAYERS, YOU KNOW, CAP SPACE, TO
SET A FOUNDATION FOR LONG-TERM
SUCCESS.
SUCCESS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS
ABOUT WINNING.
ABOUT WINNING. AND THAT HAS TO BE THE FOCUS.
AND WE DIDN’T WIN ENOUGH GAMES.
>> Reporter: BERRY MOVED TO THE
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES IN 2019,
WHERE THEY WON ENOUGH GAMES TO
HEAD TO THE PLAYOFFS.
NOW, HE’S RETURNING TO THE
BROWNS.
BROWNS. THIS TIME, NOT JUST AS THE
YOUNGEST GENERAL MANAGER IN THE
NFL, BUT AS ONE OF ONLY TWO
BLACK GMs IN THE LEAGUE.
THE NFL, AS YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN
CRITICIZED FOR ITS, SHALL WE
SAY, LACK OF A COMMITMENT TO
DIVERSITY IN MANAGEMENT.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING
A DIVERSE COACHING STAFF?
>> NOT JUST HOW OLD SOMEONE IS
OR HOW SOMEONE LOOKS OR THEIR
GENDER.
GENDER. IT’S DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCE.
DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT PROCESS.
THE KIND OF DIVERSITY THAT
ALLOWS DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES TO
COME TO THE TABLE WHEN YOU’RE
MAKING DECISIONS AND TRYING TO
DRIVE ON-FIELD RESULTS.
THAT CREATES A BETTER PRODUCT ON
THE FIELD.
THE FIELD. >> Reporter: BERRY SAYS HE
PRIZES THOSE PERSPECTIVES,
RELYING ON THE BROWNS TEAM AND
ALSO HIS FAITH TO GET HIM
THROUGH THIS FIRST YEAR.
I NOTICED YOU WEAR A CROSS
AROUND YOUR NECK.
WHAT ROLE DOES YOUR FAITH PLAY
IN ALL THIS?
>> BOTH MY PARENTS’ FATHERS, MY
GRANDFATHERS, THEY WERE PASTORS,
MINISTERS IN THE SOUTH.
EVERY SUNDAY WE WENT TO CHURCH.
WE READ THE BIBLE AS A FAMILY ON
A WEEKLY BASIS.
AND FAITH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BIG
PART OF MY JOURNEY AND MY LIFE.
THAT’S NOT SOMETHING I’M ASHAMED
TO SAY.
TO SAY. >> Reporter: THE BROWNS PUT
THEIR FAITH IN BERRY.
BUT BELIEVING WILL HAPPEN WHEN
THE TEAM STARTS WINNING.
DO YOU MAKE THE PLAYOFFS NEXT
YEAR?
YEAR? >> I WISH I HAD A CRYSTAL BALL.