5 months ago
- Browns
- Updated: Dec. 30, 2025, 5:03 a.m.
- Published: Dec. 30, 2025, 5:03 a.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – What does nan Browns’ 13-6 triumph complete Pittsburgh mean for Kevin Stefanski’s future?
I support proceeding that mobility from fans.
The reply should be: Not much.
Stefanski has been nan Browns coach for six seasons. The only coaches successful franchise history to person nan occupation longer are Paul Brown (17 years), Blanton Collier (8 years) and Sam Rutigliano (6½ seasons).
It speaks good of Stefanski that nan Browns were capable to hit nan Steelers successful a crippled Pittsburgh needed to triumph to unafraid nan AFC North title.
The Browns besides played good nan erstwhile week, a 23-20 nonaccomplishment to Buffalo.
As nan play comes to an end, it is simply a important affirmative that nan players stay engaged. Stefanski deserves in installments for that.
But nan Browns can’t make their determination connected nan coach for 2026 based connected nan past fewer games of what is now a 4-12 season.
At this point, nan Browns should cognize if they want Stefanski backmost for a seventh play successful 2026 – aliases not.
A small history
Here are nan NFL caput coaches who person been successful their existent jobs nan longest:
- Mike Tomlin, Steelers: 19 years, .627 winning percentage, zero losing seasons.
- John Harbaugh, Ravens: 18 years, .616, 1 losing season.
- Andy Reid, Chiefs: 13 years, .703, 1 losing season.
- Sean McDermott, Bills: 9 years, .660, 1 losing season.
- Sean McVay, Rams: 9 years, .619, 1 losing season.
- Kyle Shanahan, 49ers: 9 years, .554, 4 losing seasons.
- Matt LaFleur, Packers: 7 years, .659, 1 losing season.
- Zac Taylor, Bengals: 7 years, .457, 3 losing seasons.
- Kevin Stefanski, Browns: 6 years, .440, 4 losing seasons.
The wide shape is that these coaches consistently person bully teams. It’s really they support their jobs.
Shanahan is nan exception. Like Stefanski, he’s had 4 losing seasons. Unlike Stefanski, 3 of those were successful his first 4 seasons arsenic San Francisco’s coach. He was building his team.
In Shanahan’s past 5 seasons, he has a 53-21 grounds and been to a brace of Super Bowls.
Perhaps nan closest to Stefanski’s business is Taylor pinch Cincinnati. He had a 6-25 grounds successful his first 2 seasons arsenic caput coach.
He past had 4 winning seasons successful a statement arsenic Joe Burrow arrived arsenic QB. He besides coached nan Bengals to a Super Bowl quality aft nan 2021 season.
But this season, nan Bengals are 6-10. There is discontent successful Cincinnati.
Evaluating Stefanski
The Deshaun Watson waste and acquisition successful 2022 created a unsocial and demanding situation for Stefanski. The beforehand agency mislaid six draught picks successful nan woody pinch Houston. The afloat guaranteed, $230 cardinal statement savaged nan Browns’ net cap.
Meanwhile, Watson went 700 days betwixt regular-season NFL games. When he did play, he seldom looked thing for illustration nan three-time Pro Bowler pinch Houston.
Then came nan injuries – a awesome enarthrosis room and 2 Achilles operations. Meanwhile, Stefanski was nether a batch of unit to make it activity pinch Watson. Assistant coaches were fired. Offenses were changed.
Stefanski has fixed up calling plays successful nan mediate of nan past 2 seasons.
Like nan full Browns organization, Stefanski sometimes seems for illustration a blindfolded man successful a acheronian room looking for a ray switch.
His 2 winning seasons (2020 and 2023) led to playoff berths and Coach of nan Year awards for Stefanski. The past 2 seasons person been immoderate type of rebuilding and tons of losing (7-26 record).
It has to beryllium emotionally draining for nan coach. The Watson waste and acquisition hangs complete nan franchise – nan coach and beforehand office. In immoderate part, it was ownership-driven.
I will constitute my sentiment of Stefanski adjacent nan extremity of nan week.
But what do you think?
Send maine emails astatine [email protected]. Keep them short, but springiness a coagulated logic for your opinion. I’ll usage your first name. Put “Stefanski” successful nan taxable line.
I'm grateful to my readers who person publication maine for decades. I'm nan writer of much than 30 books, a victor of nan National Headliner Award arsenic nan nation's champion sports columnist successful 2020 and champion sports writer in...
