4 months ago
CINCINNATI —Two years aft winning his 2nd NFL Coach of nan Year grant and conscionable 3 days aft Myles Garrett refused to endorse him, Kevin Stefanski has been fired arsenic caput coach by nan Cleveland Browns.
The 18th full-time coach successful nan history of nan club, Stefanski was fired by Jimmy and Dee Haslam aft going 45-56 successful his six seasons, pinch 4 losing seasons and a 8-26 people nan past 2 seasons.
GM Andrew Berry is staying.
Stefanski besides went 1-2 successful nan playoffs, missing nan lone triumph successful Pittsburgh aft testing affirmative for COVID-19, and was nan 4th winningest coach successful nan history of nan franchise.
He’s nan sixth caput coach nan Haslams person fired since taking complete nan squad successful 2012, and it came a time aft nan Browns hit nan Bengals, 20-18 connected a 49-yard Andre Szmyt section extremity arsenic clip expired for a 5-12 finish. Euphoria collapsed retired successful nan Browns locker room aft nan crippled successful ceremony of nan awesome decorativeness and Garrett’s NFL sack record, which he achieved pinch 5:04 near successful nan game.
Stefanski showed up to his postgame property convention pinch his hookie soaked from nan h2o sprayed astir nan locker room during nan celebration.
As always, he kept nan attraction connected himself erstwhile asked if his occupation tin beryllium saved.
“Respectfully, this crippled is not astir me,” he said aft nan game. “I’m proud of that group for fighting.”
The Browns will now embark connected a broad hunt for Stefanski’s replacement, pinch immoderate imaginable candidates already connected nan unit successful protect coordinator Jim Schwartz and violative coordinator Tommy Rees. Coaches successful nan playoffs can’t question and reply successful personification until Jan. 19, and a 2nd question and reply can’t return spot until Jan. 26.
Here are nan statements from nan Haslams, Berry and Stefanski:
Statement from Dee and Jimmy Haslam:
“We person tremendous gratitude for Kevin’s activity of nan Cleveland Browns complete nan past six seasons. He is simply a bully shot coach and an moreover amended person. We admit each his difficult activity and dedication to our statement but our results complete nan past 2 seasons person not been satisfactory, and we judge a alteration astatine nan caput coaching position is necessary. We wish Kevin, Michelle and nan Stefanski family each nan champion successful nan future. Andrew Berry will proceed to lead our shot operations. The entirety of our attraction is connected building a squad that brings our fans nan occurrence they agelong deserve, and we will proceed to activity relentlessly towards that extremity and put immoderate resources basal to build a winning shot program. Andrew will instantly statesman our thorough process to find an outstanding caller caput coach and leader of our shot team. We person an breathtaking young halfway to build upon, and Andrew and his squad are intent connected adding talent to this halfway and building retired a roster that tin execute sustainable success.”
Statement from Andrew Berry:
“This was a difficult determination and coming is simply a reliable time for our statement because of nan effect Kevin has had and nan deep, meaningful relationships he has built crossed our building. We person awesome respect for Kevin, who has led our statement done some unsocial and challenging circumstances complete his six seasons. Over that time, he has been much than a coach but besides a partner, friend and stabilizing unit for our team. He has ever led authentically and cared profoundly for Browns players, coaches and unit each while investing each ounce of power into improving nan squad daily. Most recently, Kevin’s dependable manus led america done nan astir turbulent portion of our strategical pivot and transitional period. Working pinch a young squad and imperfect roster, he laid a instauration of professionalism while besides creating an situation of learning for a caller activity of Browns players. I americium disappointed that we could not execute much together and nan corporate underperformance of our group is thing I own. We will stay patient successful our committedness to our fans successful building nan Browns into an statement that sustains success. Now, our attraction turns to nan hunt for nan personification to lead and create what will beryllium a young discourtesy pinch dense finance complete nan adjacent six months to lucifer and build connected nan capacity of a young defense that is already playing astatine an elite level.”
Statement from Kevin Stefanski:
“After six seasons arsenic nan caput coach of nan Cleveland Browns, I time off pinch an immense consciousness of gratitude. When I arrived successful January of 2020, this organization, this organization and Browns fans embraced maine and my family pinch unfastened arms. I cannot definitive decently successful words really bully we person been treated. A sincere ‘Thank You’ to everyone who I person been truthful blessed to activity for and pinch complete these six seasons. I’d for illustration to particularly convey my coaching unit and nan players who did everything that was ever asked of them. They fought done wounded and adversity, while ever putting nan TEAM FIRST. I wish each of you thing but success.”
The Browns expected Stefanski to triumph much games this play contempt starting a third-round rookie successful Dillon Gabriel (1-5) and a fifth-round rookie successful Shedeur Sanders (3-4) .
Before hiring his replacement, nan Browns must question and reply 2 outer candidates of colour aliases a female to fulfill nan NFL’s “Rooney Rule.”
- 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
- What happened to Myles Garrett nan nighttime earlier he group nan NFL sack record, and really he denied destiny
Browns GM Andrew Berry, who’s been heavy progressive successful nan determination connected Stefanski, is safe contempt nan 2 coming successful together and some being responsible for nan back-to-back horrible campaigns.
Stefanski, meanwhile, will undoubtedly question and reply for caput coach vacancies successful this cycle, including perchance pinch nan Giants, who erstwhile tried to prosecute him distant from nan Vikings for an violative coordinator role.
The firing came 2 days aft Garrett, nan team’s champion player, declined to backmost Stefanski contempt being fixed galore opportunities, which sent up a immense reddish flag. In nan aforesaid interview, Garrett enthusiastically praised protect coordinator Schwartz, saying he loves playing for him and extolling his virtues arsenic a imaginable caput coach.
“My acquisition (with Stefanski), for illustration anything, we’ve had ups and downs,” Garrett said. “Unfortunately, much downs than ups. I would person loved to make a small spot much sound successful immoderate different years, particularly this twelvemonth pinch really good we’ve been playing connected defense. But it conscionable wasn’t successful nan cards. We’ve sewage to proceed to turn and find ways to improve. This squad has excessively galore talented individuals not to.”
Meanwhile, different longtime veterans specified arsenic All-Pro defender Joel Bitonio jumped to Stefanski’s defense successful caller weeks.
“You saw him successful 2023, right?” Bitonio said. ”We had 5 different quarterbacks commencement games aliases six aliases nevertheless galore it was. And past nan past 2 years, it’s been a rotation of quarterbacks. And we’re working. We person a mates young rookie quarterbacks that are playing and showing promise. But until that backmost position is solved successful nan NFL, it is difficult to triumph games.
“It’s nan astir important position successful sports. And you’re trying to build a defense that has shown that they tin beryllium elite and you want to build astir these awesome quarterbacks.”
The firing follows a play afloat of nationalist media members and fans charging Stefanski pinch sabotaging Sanders, contempt Stefanski spending countless other hours watching movie pinch nan rookie successful his agency to thief get him up to speed. The overtime activity helped Sanders amended incrementally each week and gain a changeable astatine being nan Browns’ starting backmost successful 2026.
“Coach Kev, he’s been existent tough,” Sanders said aft nan victory. “He’s been tough. And it’s good. I deliberation I grew and learned a batch from him. I deliberation this week we had a conversation, conscionable astir things successful general. I consciousness for illustration we grew to understand each other. We stock different things that we some will spell through. I cognize he wanted this win, and I cognize he wants each win, but I cognize this 1 intends a lot.
“I wish we arsenic a team, and I wish everybody, could person much (wins), personally, wrong this past year.”
The move comes conscionable complete six months aft Jimmy Haslam, coming disconnected nan massively disappointing 3-14 run of 2024, made it clear earlier nan play that different double-digit nonaccomplishment run would beryllium unacceptable.
“We’ve sewage to do amended than three, OK? To put a number connected it, I don’t deliberation we’ll ever do that,” he said. “Everybody, coaches, players, personnel, ownership, each knows that 3-14 won’t trim it. We’ve sewage to do better. I deliberation we’ll cognize what amended looks like.”
It besides comes conscionable 18 months aft nan Haslams signed Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry to multi-year extensions, and 5 months aft Haslam stated that Stefanski would “absolutely, absolutely” person a chance to activity pinch nan Browns’ franchise backmost erstwhile they recovered their man.
Unfortunately for Stefanski and nan Browns, that hasn’t happened yet, and it yet costs Stefanski his job. Woeful typical teams successful 2025 didn’t help, but it was mostly backmost dysfunction that doomed him.
At nan NFL Annual Meeting successful March, Haslam stated that nan Browns “took a large plaything and miss pinch Deshaun (Watson). We thought we had nan quarterback, we didn’t, and we gave up a batch of draught picks to get him. So we’ve sewage to excavation ourselves retired of that hole.”
They were incapable to do truthful this season, and Stefanski sewage buried nether nan rubble of that grounded trade, 1 successful which nan Browns surrendered 3 first-round picks, and signed Watson to nan first — and only — afloat guaranteed statement worthy $230 million.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Watson is heading into nan last twelvemonth of his woody successful 2026, and really has a chance to spot nan section again aft season-ending enarthrosis room successful 2023, and 2 surgeries to repair his ruptured and re-ruptured Achilles successful October of 2024 and January of 2025.
But Stefanski won’t beryllium astir to spot if Watson tin amended connected his 9-10 grounds arsenic a starter, aliases if Sanders tin go their franchise quarterback. He besides won’t beryllium present to coach a rookie backmost if nan Browns return 1 precocious successful nan NFL draft.
From Baker Mayfield done Sanders, Stefanski’s tenure was characterized by backmost upheaval, controversy, play and a revolving door. He started 13 different quarterbacks successful his six years, and utilized 13 full starters complete nan past 3 seasons.
Occasionally, he sewage nan astir of retired a QB, for illustration successful 2020 erstwhile he coached Mayfield to an 11-5 grounds and a chaotic paper berth successful nan playoffs, their first postseason since 2002. Mayfield led nan Browns to a 48-37 triumph complete nan Steelers successful nan wild-card round, their first playoff triumph successful 26 years, and came a azygous possession distant from beating nan Chiefs connected nan roadworthy to beforehand to nan AFC Championship Game.
Stefanski, who had to navigate strict COVID-19 protocols successful his first twelvemonth arsenic an NFL coach, earned AP NFL Coach of nan Year honors for his stunning debut.
He matched that prowess successful 2023 erstwhile he led nan Browns to a wild-card berth again contempt losing Watson to nan fractured enarthrosis and needing 4 quarterbacks to scope nan postseason. His crowning accomplishment that twelvemonth was getting Joe Flacco fresh to play aft he had spent nan first 10 weeks of nan play “on nan couch” astatine location waiting for nan telephone to ring. Stefanski coached Flacco to a 4-1 people down nan stretch, during which he averaged 323 passing yards per crippled and threw 13 TD passes.
But astir of his backmost dealings were little than ideal.
In 2021, Mayfield suffered a fractured enarthrosis and torn labrum successful his near non-throwing shoulder, and grounded to lucifer aliases transcend his 2020 production.
By nan extremity of nan season, Mayfield had go disillusioned pinch Stefanski, and called him retired aft a nonaccomplishment successful Pittsburgh successful which Mayfield was sacked 9 times, including 4 by T.J. Watt. Mayfield and his campy decided that things would person to alteration aliases he’d inquire to beryllium traded.
Meanwhile, nan Browns were looking to upgrade nan position, and flew to Houston to tribunal Watson, who was connected nan trading block.
The pursuit of Watson prompted Mayfield to inquire out, and nan Browns obliged aft they acquired Watson successful a arguable move.
But Watson was suspended 11 games successful 2022 for intersexual misconduct involving much than 2 twelve massage therapists erstwhile he was successful Houston, and went 3-3 erstwhile he returned en way to nan Browns’ 7-10 record. Watson injured his enarthrosis successful Week 3 of nan 2023 season, and was ne'er nan same. He yet suffered a fractured glenoid bony successful nan enarthrosis successful a triumph successful Baltimore successful Week 9, and underwent season-ending surgery.
He sewage disconnected to a slow commencement successful 2024 nether caller coordinator Ken Dorsey, and past ruptured his Achilles successful Week 7, pinch Jameis Winston taking over.
This season, nan Browns planned to commencement Kenny Pickett arsenic their span quarterback, but he suffered a superior hamstring wounded successful camp, and was traded to nan Raiders. With a caller violative coordinator successful Tommy Rees, Flacco started nan season, but went 1-3 earlier nan Browns benched him successful favour of Gabriel, who went 1-5.
The Browns traded Flacco to nan Bengals, and switched to Rookie Ball nan remainder of nan way.
Sanders took complete for a concussed Gabriel successful Week 11, and ne'er looked back. With Stefanski spending other hours successful his agency and connected nan section pinch Sanders, nan rookie won his first profession commencement complete nan Raiders, and threw for 364 yards and 3 touchdowns successful a 31-29 nonaccomplishment to nan Titans. He besides rushed for a TD that game, and put 2 TDs connected nan committee successful nan last 4:27 to springiness nan Browns a chance to win.
But Stefanski didn’t thief himself by taking nan hot-handed Sanders disconnected nan section for nan final, game-tying two-point attempt. Quinshon Judkins took a wildcat threat instead, and botched it to extremity nan game.
Last week, Sanders earned his 2nd triumph complete nan Steelers, preventing them from clinching nan AFC North successful nan Browns’ location finale. He earned his 3rd by starring nan Browns connected a section extremity thrust pinch 1:29 near vs. nan Bengals aft a rocky start.
The fifth-round prime retired of Colorado whom nan Browns passed connected six times successful nan draught bolted truthful quickly up nan learning curve that he whitethorn person yet convinced nan Browns that they don’t request to draught a backmost pinch either aliases some of their 2 first-round picks.
But Stefanski, who turned playcalling complete to Rees midseason for illustration he did to Dorsey successful 2024, won’t person a chance to proceed processing him aliases anyone other here. Ultimately, he couldn’t flooded losses to 2 one-win teams successful nan New York Jets and Tennessee Titans, excessively galore situational breakdowns, and excessively galore special-teams gaffes.
The Browns mislaid astatine slightest 2 games because of typical teams atrocities, including 2 missed kicks during nan opening time nonaccomplishment to nan Bengals, and nan nonaccomplishment to nan Jets connected 2 returns for touchdowns, a kickoff and a punt. Other games were crimped by typical teams, but Stefanski stuck by typical teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone, perchance because he had mislaid returner DeAndre Carter to a season-ending wounded successful campy and had young guys manning nan unit.
Stefanski, who spent 14 years arsenic an violative adjunct pinch nan Vikings earlier nan Browns hired him, besides tried complete nan years to amended operations by firing his coordinators and hiring caller ones, apt pinch input from precocious management. He replaced protect coordinator Joe Woods pinch Schwartz and typical teams coordinator Mike Prieffer pinch Ventrone successful 2023, and violative coordinator Alex Van Pelt pinch Dorsey successful 2024. After Dorsey’s Watson-oriented discourtesy flopped past season, Stefanski fired him and promoted Rees, who’s wide regarded successful assemblage and NFL circles arsenic a superb violative mind.
Still, nan Browns classed past successful nan NFL past twelvemonth pinch 15.2 points per game, and were 31st heading into nan Bengals crippled pinch 16.1 points per crippled — unacceptable for an offensive-minded caput coach.
In March, Haslam gave Stefanski and Berry a ballot of confidence, afloat believing that they’d show important betterment this season.
“We sat present past twelvemonth and Kevin was a two-time retired of 4 years Coach of nan Year and Andrew was regarded arsenic 1 of nan apical executives successful pro shot astatine nan property of 37 years old,” Haslam said. “So, I don’t deliberation they forgot really to coach. I don’t deliberation they forgot really to do personnel. There’s things some of them tin do better. There’s things our full statement could do better. It’s a small spot of everything that could spell incorrect did spell wrong, but I don’t want to make immoderate excuses. They tin some do better, but we person precocious assurance successful some of them.”
Unfortunately for Stefanski and nan Browns, their longest-tenured coach successful nan caller era was incapable to get nan occupation done.
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