After missing the playoffs for the fourth time in six years, the Cleveland Browns have decided to fire head coach Kevin Stefanski. Stefanski, a two-time Coach of the Year winner, finished last in the AFC North in each of the past two seasons.
Cleveland Browns Fire Kevin Stefanski After Six Seasons
Even though the Browns finished with a losing record, it’s hard to blame Stefanski for the underwhelming season. The team had no answer at quarterback, as veterans Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Sheduer Sanders all looked overwhelmed under center, while Deshaun Watson’s massive contract prevented the team from building a competitive, well-rounded roster. Despite all this, the Browns clearly believed the team needed a new voice running the show.
Kevin Stefanski first joined the Cleveland Browns in the 2020 season. Paired with former first-overall pick Baker Mayfield, the two led the team to an 11-5 record and a playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. At the time, the sky seemed to be the limit for this pairing.
Unfortunately, the duo could not recapture this magic. Cleveland went 8-9 in 2021 as Mayfield played through a shoulder injury, and the team traded for quarterback Deshaun Watson in the following offseason. Now considered to be one of the worst moves in NFL history, Watson never recaptured his Texans magic in his new environment. While the team made it to the playoffs in 2023, that was largely due to Joe Flacco’s late-season resurgence.
Kevin Stefanski finished his six years in Cleveland with a 44-56 regular season record and a 1-2 postseason record. He never won the AFC North but is still one of the most successful coaches in franchise history.
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