The Browns are among the teams which will be seeking a new head coach over the coming weeks. Kevin Stefanski‘s tenure in Cleveland is coming to an end. 
Stefanski has been fired, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Signs were pointing in this direction leading up to the end of the regular season yesterday. General manager Andrew Berry is safe, and Schefter notes he will lead the search for a replacement head coach.
[RELATED: Jim Schwartz Likely To Be Replacement Candidate]
Over the course of a lengthy tenure in Minnesota, Stefanski generated a strong reputation as one of the league’s top offensive minds. His 2020 hire marked the first head coaching opportunity at the college or NFL levels of his career. The 43-year-old went on to win the Coach of the Year award twice during his tenure in Cleveland. That span also included a record of just 7-26 over the past two years, however.
The struggles endured since the beginning of the 2024 season are identified in a team statement as part of the reason why the Browns have elected to move on in this case. After reaching the playoffs in 2023 – Cleveland’s second 11-win season under Stefanski – things have not gone according to plan, and quarterback uncertainty persists at this point. Finding a long-term answer under center will be a priority along with the search for a new head coach.
Stefanski, meanwhile, will contemplate his next move. A strong market could exist in his case based on his track record under stable QB situations and the lack of high-profile offensive coaches in the 2026 pool of candidates. Stefanski has been mentioned on multiple occasions as a logical fit with the Giants. As other vacancies open up around the league, it will be interesting to see how Stefanski fits into the overall coaching landscape this winter.
Cleveland will have stability at the GM spot moving forward with Berry remaining in place. Strong showings from multiple members of the Browns’ rookie class no doubt helped his job security. Nevertheless, today’s news comes after Paul DePodesta departed the organization to join Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies. Berry will be tasked with overseeing a notably different setup for the franchise once the second HC of his tenure is in place.
A report from last week tied the Browns to interest in Mike McDaniel. The Dolphins have yet to make a final decision on their head coach, although he is currently believed to be safe. In the event that changes, though, connections between Cleveland and McDaniel will be worth watching for.
The Giants and Titans made in-season HC firings. In the immediate aftermath of Week 18, the Falcons moved on from Raheem Morris as well general manager Terry Fontenot. With Stefanski now out, there are four head coaching vacancies and counting across the NFL.
How is Berry unscathed?
Agreed, I would have figured he would go too considering the moves he’s made
He had one good draft after multiple abysmal drafts and that’s good enough for the Browns. Just ignore that this teams was on the upswing when he took over with a young promising QB but yea it’s all Stefanski’s fault.
It was both their fault. Both should have been gone. Stefanski is a terrible HC and mediocre OC, and Berry is terrible at his job. They took over a pretty loaded team when they got there and had it going 4-13 and 5-12 by year three.
I look forward to Stefanski winning another coach of the year award next year.
The owner loves him. Pretty simple. After Dorsey built that team up, he got fired a couple of years later, and Berry was brought back from the Sashi Brown regime. It’s a Vinnie Cerrato situation.
He’s a suck up have you see his interviews lmao ownership loves him
Not only are the Browns bad and been bad….They have not really worked to accumulate assets to right the ship. They are still underwater for salary cap next year and need to shed about $28m just to be able to fill open roster spots with league minimum salaries. Yikes! While they have their own picks, they only added picks a few late rounds. Usually bad team have stock piled both cap and future picks to rebound. Cleveland has done neither.
Maybe he gets another shot right away, maybe he spends a year as a coordinator or on TV. But I’ll be curious to see what he can do when he’s not under the weight of the Browns and that Watson move. He’s a good schematic coach and they kept playing hard for him.
He doesn’t seem like a TV guy, but that’s just my opinion. I think he either takes some time off to recharge his batteries or he strikes while the iron is hot and jumps right back into another head coaching gig. I think he will have multiple suitors. And I think he’s a little relieved to be out of Cleveland because it seemed like there was some serious dissent/disagreement going on about the direction of the franchise, in addition to the perpetual drama involved with being the coach of a dumpster fire organization.
No idea if he’s interested in TV, but he’s a photogenic former coach of the year, so I’m guessing there’s a studio panel job for him if he wants one.
From what I’ve seen he doesn’t have the personality for TV. He can put an audience to sleep with his pressers.
Jason Garrett is on TV, so there’s that. It’s who he reminds me of, another mediocre boring guy who got a lot of cover because he worked for a meddling owner that doesn’t change the fact that they’re terrible coaches independent of that.
Stefanski showed vastly more as a schemer and play caller than Garrett did.
Stefanski stinks. It’s hard to take people serious who call Tomlin a mediocre coach when he’s winning a division with Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow in it with spare parts at QB, but then the same people turn around and praise clowns like Stefanski because he works for a bad owner. Fact is when he and Berry got that job, that roster was stacked. They won one playoff game with it and proceeded to oversee its deterioration since. He didn’t get along with Mayfield. He hasn’t developed jack s*** at the QB position, something you’d think he shold excel at, and Watson got worse when he got there. Otherwise, he’s great.
I’m not one of those people who’s called Tomlin mediocre, so maybe take your rant elsewhere.
I’m not ranting at you in particular about that, but just saying, what are we talking about here? What does he do well? Serious question. Even the years they made the playoffs, the team was not particularly great at anything. Six years is more than enough time to see what a coach is, and he’s not very good. Plus, it wasn’t like they were close in the other seasons. The other seasons were disasters.
He does scheme well. You can see it in film , both in Cincy and Minnesota. The best argument for Stefanski as a bad coach is his handling of personnel, more than his ability to put a gameplan together. A good play-action QB (like he had in Cousins-wouldn’t be an interesting hire for Atlanta?) marries well with Stefanski’s style, and he used that to great success with Mayfield as well before management decided to ditch him.
I am on the slightly positive side, but as I’ve said before, Stefanski seems like he acquiesces too much to his non-football bosses when it comes to bad management decisions. The Watson is prime and center, of course, and he obviously didn’t want Sanders this year ( my theory is that he, as a coach, preferred a Flacco year to acquire a QB next year). His conferences seem to tow the company line too much when management makes a bad decision. Perhaps that’s why he lasted so long, too-he was fine being a punching bag for terrible decisions.
So I do think that Stefanski deserves criticism, and I see how it seems like many people ignore that. However, the deciding factor here in my view is that he does seem to have to something beneficial to offer in his scheming, and that’s what’s been primarily success for Cleveland in the years where they’ve had some success. I do think that’s been more than the average coach has to offer, even with the flaws alongside it. No matter who is right here, though, I can say one thing-he’ll be in demand.
This guy has a real hard on for Stefanski but we should all listen because he’s a “real” football fan
I’ve got a hard on for him because I’m commenting in a football comment section. Okay, dummy.
That’s exactly why lol. You are relentless in your commenting about him.
C’mon Raiders – you got a giftwrapped fox from Haslam!
Above my pay grade, but that sounds real good to me. Heck, keep Carroll on for one more year, and have him and Stef work with Mendoza (assuming Gruden doesn’t return to screw up the draft.
Give Stef a one-year OC contract with a 5-year club option for the HC slot..
I just don’t know if Stefanski will have to settle for a coordinator gig. The Titans have indicated that they’re looking for experienced coaches (of course, they’re also a true dumpster-not just the overused version of that word that simply indicates that the team’s lost games a lot lately). Atlanta is looking for a coach, and has probably the most talent of all the vacancies. New York might be so inclined as to take on a coach who has had success with recent college QBs (and they might not decide to dump that QB later for an oft-injured harassment project). Tampa seems on the fence about Bowles, and the Raiders look to want to move on from Carroll. Hell, the Steelers or Ravens, unthinkably, could open up (I doubt it, and don’t see the fit in Pittsburgh especially, but it’s more possible than ever right now, too, so it bears mentioning).
I think Atlanta is a good landing spot for Stefanski, but he’ll have a lot of head coaching options where he will likely be the top veteran option available (you could argue McCarthy here, too). If teams don’t go with a young stud, he could be the guy. As far as OC goes, there are also two really good opportunities that could be open, if they don’t hire from within: Detroit, and possibly Philadelphia, if they change their minds on Patullo. I really think that Philly keeps Patullo, and I don’t know if Detroit will go outside the organization, but if you’re stepping down from a HC to an OC, you’d probably look there first. Detroit could be a good fit, too, given Goff’s affinity for play-action and the strong running attack.
I don’t think stefanski goes from 1 dumpster fire franchise to another, I don’t think he’s that dumb, if I were him I’d be all over the Giants, they have their QB in place already
And whos you’re tean assclown?
Worked out so well the last time they did that exact thing with Shurmur, lmao.
How are the Giants any less of a dumpster fire recently than the Browns?
The Giants low key have become one of those bad franchises since the children took over with the franchise. What have they made the playoffs, once in ten years?
It hasn’t been low key at all
Here’s a Cleveland move…they hire Deion Sanders lol
With Haslam, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he’s been contemplating this for several weeks. Deion has been in Cleveland a lot for the games, and I’m sure they’ve had conversations. And, I think it’s totally on-brand for the type of braindead move they would make. I hope I’m wrong.
Deion Sanders isn’t coaching the Browns. He’s been in Cleveland to watch his son QB the Browns….
“Deshaun Watson isn’t getting traded to the Browns. He doesn’t want to play in a cold weather city like Cleveland.”
He isn’t even going to the NFL when Colorado completely fell off a cliff this year
Lmao I just pictured Deon coaching Shedeur in browns gear in my head lmao that would be hilarious
If that happens – they clearly underestimate the AFC North
they got it backwards, but hey – they ARE the Browns
It’s easy to explain. One is doing the insane owner’s bidding while the other was made responsible for miracles from that mess.
People called the Panthers, Bears, Jaguars and Patriots a mess the last few years. Getting a capable coach can rejuvenate a team
Atlanta Falcons immediate replacement
That might just be a good fit for Kevin
By Jove, I think you’ve got it! Good call.
He’s number 4 on my list behind Kubiak, Brady and Flores
How about Zac Taylor? He’s young, he’s a great excuse maker, he’s experienced, did I mention that he’s young? His playbook only has 5 plays in it, so even Dumbshawn Watson or whoever they pick in the 2026 draft can learn it in 20 minutes. Give the Bengals a slushie machine, a couple of practice footballs and a Myles Garrett jersey and he’d be yours. Just saying, you could do worse
Did you notice the way the Bengals played the contract game with their DE Hendrickson……they aren’t trading anybody for a “sushi machine and a couple of practice footballs..blah..blah..blah”…..you may not like the way they do football business simply because they won’t cave to the press, fans, and commenters like all of us….Taylor has already been told he’s staying…..
Are you crying? There’s no crying in football!! Someday, when you grow up, you will understand sarcasm, until then maybe you shouldn’t post things. And, if you’re that wrapped up in the Bengals and their coaches maybe you should seek help.
I would have fired Berry too, but I know he’s a favorite of the owner, and he did seem to have a decent draft this year. Stefanski was a major problem though.
Wasting two picks on QBs (the first was useless) should be cause for dismissal. Could have fortified the OL with that 3rd round selection.
Haslam had no desire to get rid of a black man he could boss around.
He fired Sashi Brown. Fact is, that front office is probably there for life after he didn’t want to do that but did at the behest of John Dorsey. How long was DiPodesta there before he went back to baseball?
I told Stefanski not to trade for Watson. Now he has to pay the price.
Kinda hard for Kevin to succeed the last 2 years given the state of our OL and QB’S. Berry not providing a veteran QB this season forced Stefanski to use 2 different rookie QB’S…managing 5 wins was an accomplishment! Thank you Kevin for your time in Cleveland….
Welcome to the Giants
The Watson contract alone should have put Berry out of a job.
Two people in the whole organization who are not terrible at their jobs, so obviously the Browns get rid of one of them.
Haslam should be in jail, not running an NFL team into the ground.
If he is smart, he passes on the Falcons job, Titans Job and the Giants and Raiders Jobs and waits for the Ravens Job to open… which might not take long.
another bad organization doing coach a favor .. can’t wait to see their next failed retread hire
Myles Garrett got the sack record, Cleveland beat Cincy on a FG as time expired, yet Stefanski got shown the door.
Maybe it’s because the Browns are self-centered to the max. Like the LB with a crotch-grabbing backflip at the end of a pick-6 — or a DB doing the same on a fumble recovery TD. Dumb stuff that was deservedly flagged as taunting. (In the college game, both TDs would’ve come off the board.)
This is gonna be like the vrabel firing in a couple years
He should become the number one OC target right now
Do the imbiciles that did the Watson trade and contract have jobs????
They sure do.
Just feels like a Giants or Titans guy. Although for some reason I still think Mike McCarthy ends up in TN
FWIW – The average time a Head Coach of the Year Winner stays with their team after winning is 5-years. This is heavily skewed by Belichick, Andy Reid (Philadelphia) and Sean Payton. It would probably be about 3-years otherwise.