If this was Stefanski’s last Browns’ game, he was a class act to the end – Terry Pluto

CLEVELAND, Ohio – If this is Kevin Stefanski’s past crippled arsenic coach of nan Browns, his last property convention was a awesome of his six seasons here.

“It’s not astir me,” Stefanski replied erstwhile asked astir his future.

Oh, he added nan connection “respectfully.”

He “respectfully” declined to remark connected his occupation position astatine slightest 2 much times aft nan Browns beat Cincinnati, 20-18 Sunday.

“Respectfully, this game’s not astir me,” Stefanski said. “I told you guys that. I’m proud of that group for fighting.”

It was vintage Stefanski.

In his six seasons pinch nan Browns, he worked difficult successful property conferences not to make thing astir him. He wanted nan affirmative attraction connected nan players. He seldom criticized them collectively – and almost ne'er mentioned an individual subordinate negatively,

He often said, “That’s connected me” erstwhile things went wrong, but not adding immoderate meaningful details.

It’s difficult to ideate immoderate coach ever moving harder astatine being politely bland than Stefanski.

That is his nationalist persona.

It’s besides what nan Browns wanted aft nan stormy tenures of Hue Jackson and Freddie Kitchens – nan 2 coaches earlier him.

Happy for Stefanski

While I’m successful favour of a coaching change, it was gratifying to spot nan Browns hit Pittsburgh and Cincinnati successful nan last 2 games of nan season. It showed Stefanski still had nan attraction of his players – contempt a 8-26 grounds successful nan past 2 seasons.

Stefanski will astir apt question and reply for different caput coaching positions. He is simply a two-time NFL Coach of nan Year. It will beryllium tempting for a squad to pin nan Deshaun Watson debacle connected nan Browns’ beforehand agency and ownership, and past judge Stefanski needs a caller commencement pinch a caller team.

I thin to judge that could beryllium nan champion for everyone – nan Browns and Stefanski.

At nan very least, Stefanski will beryllium successful request arsenic an violative coordinator. That was his occupation earlier being hired by nan Browns successful 2020.

Having vanished six years pinch nan Browns, Stefanski ranks 10th among NFL coaches successful position of tenure pinch their existent teams.

He’s coached 101 games for nan Browns. Only Paul Brown (214 games) and Blanton Collier (112) have coached much successful Cleveland.

His Browns grounds is simply a humble 45-56.

He is nan only Browns coach since nan franchise returned successful 1999 to triumph a playoff game. That was beating Pittsburgh successful 2020, his first season. Twice he took nan Browns to nan playoffs, nan different twelvemonth being 2023.

The past clip nan Browns had back-to-back winning seasons was nan precocious 1980s pinch Bernie Kosar astatine quarterback.

In nan dismal decades since then, Stefanski produced 2 nosy seasons. That does count for something.

Stefanski nan personification

Stefanski is simply a people act, a bully family man and a existent gentleman.

It’s admirable really he handled nationalist disapproval and refused to lash out. He ne'er engaged successful nan off-the-record rumors and disapproval of his bosses arsenic immoderate coaches do erstwhile they statesman to lose.

It would person been tempting for astir coaches to usage their media contacts – aliases person their agents do nan activity – and talk astir really nan Browns put nan coach successful a unspeakable position pinch nan Watson deal.

That ne'er happened.

I judge nan Browns will occurrence Stefanski, but it will travel pinch immoderate regret connected their part, They will cognize they are parting ways pinch a bully man.

And if Sunday was his last crippled for nan Browns, he remained a bully man correct to nan end.

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...