By firing Kevin Stefanski, the Browns just created their newest Baker Mayfield figure — Jimmy Watkins

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Grab nan tissues, and nan chocolates, and nan wine. Flip to Netflix; find nan rom coms; prime your favorite. Mute nan New York Giants, and nan Tennessee Titans, and “Kevin Stefanski” successful your societal feeds.

Because nan Browns conscionable created different Baker Mayfield scenario. And their fans return breakups to heart.

You mightiness deliberation that dumping Stefanski, arsenic nan Browns did Monday, is nan correct move aft 2 consecutive seasons pinch 12 aliases much losses. And I tin already perceive fans professing their indifference astir Stefanski’s reported liking from different teams.

But cipher misses their ex-partner until you spot them pinch personification else. And Stefanski, for illustration Mayfield, will time off municipality looking for a rebound.

• Kevin Stefanski fired aft his sixth play pinch nan Browns and a 45-56 record; GM Andrew Berry stays
• Shedeur Sanders ‘learned a lot’ from Kevin Stefanski, who could beryllium fired by Monday morning; Stefanski mum
• Andre Szmyt’s agelong roadworthy ends pinch a game-winning footwear for nan Browns

Can we beryllium honest? Plenty of Browns fans — much than will admit it now — were fresh for Mayfield to spell erstwhile nan Browns released him during nan summertime of 2022. They were tired of his personality, concerned pinch his inconsistent play and, for illustration wide head Andrew Berry, they thought nan franchise could do better.

Four seasons and 1 giant, $230 cardinal mistake later, they learned nan worth of a vertebrate successful manus and nan dangers of expected greener pastures. Yet present we guidelines again, saying bully riddance to a bully coach who produced bully outcomes.

The Browns appeared successful 2 playoff games (zero wins) complete 27 seasons earlier Stefanski. They’ve played successful 3 (and won one) during his six seasons arsenic coach.

No chance they’ll miss that guy, right?

Depends connected who other is available. Like each coaching changes, Cleveland’s latest will beryllium graded connected nan replacement arsenic overmuch arsenic nan replaced.

And connected insubstantial (read: connected resume), Stefanski will beryllium a reliable enactment to follow.

You want experience, don’t you? Well, I cognize a coach who boasts much acquisition (101 games) arsenic a pro caput coach than each existent coaching free supplier too erstwhile Cowboys and Packers coach Mike McCarthy and, if you count him, 72-year-old Bill Belichick (74-year-old Pete Carroll whitethorn besides go disposable soon if nan Raiders occurrence him aft 1 season).

Want a backmost developer, too? My aforesaid coaching campaigner has called plays for 4 quarterbacks who started much than 10 regular-season games for him, and 3 of them — Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield, Jacoby Brissett — group career-best marks successful passer standing aliases QBR nether his tutelage. The 4th is Browns backmost Deshaun Watson, who astatine slightest shares nan blasted successful his ain regression. And if you count playoff games, past late-career Joe Flacco besides joins nan 10-game club. And he sparked an improbable playoff quality nether Coach X.

Best part: If you’re into awards, my campaigner counts 2 Coach of nan Year awards. Only 11 different coaches successful history person won arsenic many. And each 11 led a franchise to nan Super Bowl during their careers (eight won one).

Point is, if Stefanski’s sanction was Sammy Somebody, you’d prime his resume retired of nan heap again this coaching cycle. And if you saw really Sammy’s past squad managed his roster, you wouldn’t blasted him for their shortcomings.

The Deshaun Watson waste and acquisition doesn’t excuse Stefanski’s 8-26 record over nan past 2 seasons aliases nan Browns’ persistent punishment issues nether his watch. But it does muddy nan accountability waters capable to animate a look complete your enarthrosis adjacent season.

You’re telling maine you’re not a small funny to spot really Stefanski, who exits pinch nan fourth-most wins successful franchise history and nan eighth-best winning percentage, will look distant from each this dysfunction? You wouldn’t beryllium invested successful Titans backmost Cam Ward’s aliases Giants backmost Jackson Dart’s improvement nether nan erstwhile Browns coach? You’re truthful assured successful this team’s coaching information that you don’t attraction really nan incumbent fares elsewhere?

I person my doubts. We’ve seen this Browns rom com before, wherever nan narration ends sour and nan rebound makes fans jealous. Grab nan tissues, flip to Netflix and, if it helps, you tin glare astatine Stefanski while he leaves.

But that’s nan aforesaid look fans erstwhile gave Mayfield.

Jimmy Watkins is simply a columnist for Cleveland.com. He provides unsocial perspectives and intricate reporting connected our section teams and their rivals. He joined america successful November 2022 arsenic nan rivalry hit writer, and his...