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The Cleveland Browns will beryllium searching for different caput coach aft giving Kevin Stefanski nan axe connected "Black Monday" pursuing six seasons pinch nan franchise.
Shedeur Sanders, nan rookie backmost who fans believed was being held backmost by Stefanski, said astir nan move connected Monday arsenic he and nan remainder of his Browns teammates caput into nan offseason.
"We conscionable recovered retired a mates seconds ago," Sanders said erstwhile asked by reporters what he thought of nan news, per The New York Post. "I deliberation it’s conscionable wide nan mentality, things are gonna happen, that’s conscionable really nan convention is.
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Cleveland Browns caput coach Kevin Stefanski walks connected nan sideline during nan 2nd half of an NFL shot crippled against nan Cincinnati Bengals successful Cincinnati connected Jan. 4, 2026. (Jeff Dean/AP Photo)
"And moving forward, conscionable attraction connected what we tin amended connected individually for nan adjacent caput coach."
It was rather nan generic reply from Sanders, who Stefanski made nan starting backmost for nan remaining 7 games of nan Browns’ dismal 5-12 season.
Sanders was nether scrutiny nan 2nd he was drafted successful nan 5th information by nan Browns, particularly considering galore believed him to beryllium a first-round prime this past April. That evidently didn’t travel to be, and his draught banal plummeted while teams including his ain took quarterbacks earlier him.
BROWNS FIRE HEAD COACH KEVIN STEFANSKI AFTER SIX SEASONS
Throughout training camp, and moreover into nan regular season, location were galore speculating that nan Browns weren’t giving Sanders a adjacent changeable astatine earning nan correct to commencement nether center, and fingers started to constituent astatine nan caput coach.
Stefanski’s domiciled successful Sanders’ rookie play was a roller coaster, astatine slightest successful nan public’s eye. But Sanders did mention that he and Stefanski started to "grew to understand each other," arsenic they worked successful their first play together.
Shedeur Sanders of nan Cleveland Browns stands for nan nationalist anthem anterior to an NFL Preseason 2025 crippled against nan Carolina Panthers astatine Bank of America Stadium connected August 8, 2025 successful Charlotte. (Logan Bowles/Getty Images)
"We would stock different things that we would some spell through," Sanders explained. "I cognize he wanted this win, and I cognize he wants each win, but I cognize that this 1 intends a lot."
"I wish we each played arsenic a team," he continued. "And I wish we could person done much personally wrong this past year."
The Browns were capable to travel distant pinch a triumph successful their last crippled of nan 2025 season, 20-18 complete nan Cincinnati Bengals, arsenic Sanders threw for 11 yards connected 11-of-22 passing pinch a mislaid fumble.
"I deliberation I did what I was capable to do and I decidedly grew from a batch of things," Sanders said arsenic he reflected connected his rookie campaign.
The play began pinch Stefanski steadfastly saying seasoned Joe Flacco was nan starting backmost contempt Sanders and third-round prime Dillon Gabriel besides connected nan roster. Kenny Pickett was traded distant to nan Las Vegas Raiders, making nan conflict betwixt Sanders and Gabriel arsenic Flacco’s backup 1 of nan apical storylines successful nan summer.
Cleveland Browns' Shedeur Sanders (12) and Teven Jenkins (74) observe a touchdown successful nan first half of an NFL shot crippled against nan Tennessee Titans successful Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Sue Ogrocki/AP Photo)
Stefanski yet chose Gabriel, who yet commencement six games aft Flacco was traded to nan Bengals midseason. Gabriel went conscionable 1-5 successful those starts, and pursuing a concussion, Sanders was up adjacent to effort his manus astatine nan starting role.
He won his first commencement against nan Raiders, and went 3-4 wide crossed 7 starts. Sanders threw for an moreover 1,400 yards pinch 7 touchdowns to 10 interceptions, while completing 56.6% of his throws.
The Browns won’t beryllium committing to Sanders, aliases immoderate backmost for that matter, heading into 2026 arsenic they want to solidify their adjacent caput coach and let that personification to determine what’s champion for nan franchise. Cleveland besides has Deshaun Watson nether statement for adjacent season, and GM Andrew Berry says they expect nan embattled awesome caller to beryllium pinch nan squad heading into nan 2026 campaign.
"I’m not going to get into specifics. We person a batch of activity to do connected nan roster, peculiarly connected nan violative side," Browns proprietor Jimmy Haslam besides said connected Monday.
Cleveland Browns backmost Shedeur Sanders speaks astatine a news convention aft an NFL shot crippled against nan San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, successful Cleveland. (Sue Ogrocki/AP Photo)
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Meanwhile, Stefanski mightiness beryllium correct backmost connected his feet successful a caput coaching domiciled elsewhere successful nan NFL, arsenic ESPN reports nan New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans are expected to bring him successful to talk their ain caput coaching vacancy.
Stefanski was a two-time Coach of nan Year victor pinch nan Browns, helping lead nan franchise to 2 playoff appearances during his six years pinch nan squad (2020, 2023). He went 45-56 during 101 games pinch nan franchise.
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Scott Thompson is simply a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
