5:54PM: The growing sentiment around the league is that the Browns moving on from Stefanski is now “expected” to happen, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. NFL insider Jordan Schultz adds that “the league-wide expectation” is that changes are likely in Cleveland, and the “hottest seat” in the building appears to be Stefanski’s. As mentioned below, Schultz claims the unlikely trade route may be attempted here, but if the Browns can’t make that happen, he’s expected to be let go.
1:01PM: Kevin Stefanski is a game away from wrapping up his sixth season in Cleveland. It appears Sunday’s meeting with the Bengals will be Stefanski’s last with the Browns. The team is “leaning toward” making a coaching change, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com passes along similar information.
Meanwhile, backing up a previous report, Russini, Cabot and Albert Breer of SI.com all expect general manager Andrew Berry to keep his job. The Browns have discussed shifting Berry to a president of football operations-type position, per Breer, but that’s unlikely to happen. Regardless, Berry’s “heavily involved” in deciding Stefanski’s fate, Cabot writes.
If Stefanski is indeed on the way out, it’s unclear whether the Browns plan to simply fire him or attempt to pull off a rare trade involving a head coach. Although odds are against it, there’s “smoke” behind a potential trade, an industry source told Conor Orr of SI.com.
Considering Stefanski is a two-time Coach of the Year, someone may be willing to surrender draft compensation for him. At his best, the 43-year-old has guided the Browns to 11 wins and the postseason in two different campaigns (2020 and ’23). However, success has been elusive otherwise.
Unable to find a long-term answer at quarterback, the Browns have gone just 44-56 under Stefanski. They’re are a woeful 7-26 since 2024, including 4-12 this year, which could spell doom for their current head coach.
If there’s hope for Stefanski to stay on, it’s that owners Jimmy Haslam and Dee Haslam are fans, Breer notes. The Haslams also like Stefanski’s working relationship with Berry. If the team cuts the cord on Stefanski, though, it would put Berry in position to make his first head coaching hire. Flashing back to January 2020, the Haslams brought in Stefanski two weeks before Berry left Philadelphia’s front office to become Cleveland’s GM. Berry, previously a Browns executive from 2016-18, is in his second stint with the franchise.
Berry and the Browns have already gathered information on potential replacements for Stefanski, per Russini. Ultimately, they could promote from within and hand the job to defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. He’d “undoubtedly” emerge as a candidate, according to Cabot.
Schwartz finished an ugly 29-51 as Detroit’s head coach from 2009-13, but he has long been one of the game’s best defensive assistants. The 59-year-old is currently at the helm of the league’s second-ranked defense. The face of the franchise, defensive end Myles Garrett, made it clear on Friday that he wants to win and not rebuild. Garrett also made his affinity for Schwartz known.
“Would I like to play under Jim? Would I like to keep the team and for us to improve? Absolutely,” Garrett said.
A solid relationship with Garrett doesn’t mean the Browns will promote Schwartz, but it should help the coach’s chances of taking over for Stefanski. That’s assuming the Browns wave goodbye to Stefanski, which could happen as early as Sunday.