11:00pm: 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.
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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 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.
Repeated success as a coordinator when you’ve failed badly as a head coach will not result in future success as a head coach.
He’s won coach of the year twice for a historically bad franchise in a span of 4 years.
“Coach of the Year” is always odd. It’s really “ComeBack Coach of the Year” or “Coach who team did OK after a bad Year” award.
Those generally considered the best coaches in the league have never won, such as Andy Reid. Coaches who win every year, never get any votes. Stefanski may be a good coach, but the only reason he actually had a chance to win is because he coaches a traditionally bad team that can’t win year in and out.
Funny that Berry’s job is safe, considering he has played a key role in Cleveland’s current issues.
“Coach of the Year” became the NFL’s Milli Vanilli Award when Brian Daboll won it for going 0-5 vs. Dallas and Philadelphia.
How bout demmmmm Jetssssssss
The browns are one of thee premier dumpster fires in the NFL Others being th Jets
So the jets are 2/3 of the dumpster fires? Yeah, that checks out, but the Raiders might want a word.
The Raiders are rehabbing with Brady as part of the ownership group, in time I’m sure he’ll right the ship that is of course they don’t get caught cheating, as long as he hires the right coaches and GM
The Raiders’ current bottom-feeder standing has coincided with Brady’s involvement in the club. You don’t think that double-dealing ar$e#ole has anything to do with it?
He might have been referring to Schwartz.
Two playoff appearances and a playoff win in 5 years, before that I believe it was something like 1 playoff appearance In roughly 20 years since they came back as a franchise
You have to understand that he was coaching the browns!!! He’s a 2 time coach of the year! He’ll thrive as head coach with any other team but the Browns!! Except the Jets
Titans, NYG, Raiders could all have interest
I know I’m in the minority by saying this, but I think he would be a great fit with the Giants.
I think that’s a pretty common opinion.
How in the world does Berry keep his job?
would be doing stefanski a huge favor .. can’t wait to see which failed retread berry settles on
The Jimmy Schwartz era should be fun.
Yep, fire the coach that drafts the players, signs the free agents and creates dissension amongst teams pending free agents.
Give a bonus to the GM that teaches players how to play within a system that does show it could ‘win’ if it was better managed by the HC & Owner if they spent their money judiciously….
That’s be the perfect business model for any company to follow!
It’s in the water in Cleveland. This team is mud and will always be mud. When they escaped to Baltimore they became winners.
The most inept franchise in NFL history.
They are and will always be the Mistake by the Lake. Browns and Jets. Idk who’s worse.
As a Browns fan I’m torn on replacing Stefanski. To be fair, he hasn’t had a real QB since they moved on from Baker Mayfield. Berry has only provided rookie QB’S and scrap heap OL, no WR help…yet they expect Kevin to win…. go figure! Kevin hasn’t advanced the offense regardless of personal so maybe a parting of ways is best for both? I will say Andrew Berry better hit on the offensive side in the 2026 Draft and hire a young respected HC or he should be sent packing too …he built this roster, not Kevin Stefanski…..trade him to the Titans and get one of your coveted picks Andrew 😡
Well he’s going to be unemployed for all of 5 minutes. Browns will be Browns.
Stefanski will be out of a job for all of 5 seconds,
This is great news for the teams with HC openings. This dude will get hired immediately if he wants to be.
Lol
Hells yea. Throw dat man out of town
Steelers trade Tomlin and a late pick to the Browns for Stefanski and a 1st. I like Stefanski and I’d rather have him than any other possible head coaching candidate right now. In the right organization, I think he could thrive. Now, I don’t hate Tomlin and I do think he has some qualities that are great, but I think it’s time for a change of scenery for both himself and the organization. This “will they/won’t they fire him” has to be tiring for all those involved, including the fans.
I don’t think the Steelers would do Tomlin dirty like that. They might fire him, but they wouldn’t trade him unless he wants to go to the browns.
The Rooneys, like the Marra’s don’t do anything knee jerk or fast …..just frustration on the part of Steeler Nation on missing the playoffs…..
This isn’t knee jerk or fast. It’s been the topic of conversation for the last 3 of seasons. I’m al also not frustrated at missing the playoffs. I fully expected it. I do agree with pt that they wouldn’t do him dirty like that because they can’t. He has a no trade clause so would have to approve the deal. And what better way to prove to an organization and fan base that they pissed away a good coach than to prove them wrong and lead a turnaround the Browns.
Browns should clean house if they’re moving on from Stefanski.
It makes little sense to keep the Gm who’s on the hot seat but fire the HC. When the axe drops on the GM, because the turnaround won’t be quick, the incoming Gm is stuck with a HC he didn’t pick.
He will get another HC job very quickly.
Come home to be OC for Philly.
Andrew Berry made the worst trade in NFL history. He threw away “two handfuls” of their top draft picks and then put them extreme “salary cap hell..” .. He sent away Mayfield and brought in Watson, during the MULTi-sexual harassment allegations.. and they are blaming Stefanski?
He is better off somewhere else. Who would take that job- ?
Mike McCarthy who’s out of football currently or an up and coming OC
People said the same thing about the Carolina job dealing with Tepper as an owner before Canales got there
There will be someone who wants the job
They have a top 10 or 5 pick
They have an extra 1st cause jags
They have 1 more year of cap issues before a projected 118 mill in cap space for 2027.
So if you sign some cheap 1 year vets like Texans did all those rebuild years looking for guys who want to rebuild value, hit on your draft picks, and hire the right coach
You could be poised for a huge 2027 and beyond.
Can Stefanski stay and the Browns move on?
Haslam is an absolute moron and this is just further proof of that. Stefanski will land on his feet, and probably with a better run organization. He may be better off sitting a season out, do some consulting and see if a better landscape develops for his services in 27.
This is Cleveland being Cleveland. ‘Searching for a QB’? Didn’t you have Mayfield, who not only is playing well now in Tampa, but also playing well in Cleveland considering what he had around him.
Maybe the problem is trading for Watson, giving him that ridiculous contract, and then adding 4 more QBs this year including Sanders.
As Bill Parcells used to say “I can only cook with the ingredients that are given to me”. Maybe this is more of a GM and owner problem than a coach problem?
I disagree that this is “Cleveland being Cleveland”. Baker Mayfield had a top receiver in OBJ and an excellent running back in Nick Chubb plus a solid TE in David Njoku and more often than not had decent to very good offensive line. His career record in Cleveland was 29-30 (but really 30-30 as in his first game he replaced an injured QB in the 2nd quarter and won).
After Cleveland, he went a combined 2-8 in Carolina and the LA Rams.
In Tampa, his career record is 27-24. Slightly better than what he was in Cleveland. His numbers are better because he does have better receivers, no doubt. But he’ll always be a slighty better than average QB and will never get Tampa to a Super Bowl or even an NFC championship game.
The culture problem in Cleveland starts with the owner, GM and (now formerly) the strategy officer Paul DePodesta. Haslam, Berry, DePodesta, and Stefanski all contributed to this mess. The 2 playoff appearances masked the major issues with how the team is run and coached. Stefanski is a meh head coach and will be same wherever he lands up. I am Browns fan who isn’t celebrating Stefanski being let go, but I’m also not begging for him to stay.
The team has been a dumpster fire since Haslam bought it. Stefanski managed two playoff seasons despite it continuing to be a dumpster fire. Although reports are murky, it seems like Berry orchestrated the trade and fully guaranteed deal to land Watson, likely at Haslam’s request. The fact that Stefanski would be fired while Berry keeps his job seems unfair and also a bit on-brand.
Being a Browns fan, part of me thinks this is the right decision and part of me says Haslam will again make the wrong decision.
I made a post a while ago about Stefanski and front office issues (see here link to profootballrumors.com ). Stefanski is part of the problem, but not the whole problem. Jimmy Haslam, Andrew Berry, and (while he was here) Paul DePodesta all contributed to the dysfunction.
I would caution Giants fans about wanting Stefanski and that he’s going to be a long-term successful coach in NY. You will see bizarre play calls and decisions made during the game that cost the Giants winnable games. He will come out flat in division games and never win more than 3. He will go back to calling plays on offense and when it isn’t working (calling multiple 60 pass attempt games) will take too long to hand it off to his OC (he’s given up play calling 2 straight years in Cleveland). He will keep a bad position coach on longer than needed. Now some of this might have been him acting as a yes man for Andrew Berry and DePodesta. And over the last 2 seasons he’s not been given much on the field for offense. The Watson trade is a key reason. But Stefanski couldn’t really develop any QB that came through here as a long-term starter.
That said, he’s the best coach that has come through here since 1999. The organization continues to fail because Haslam has no idea how to set up a long-term successful front office. Andrew Berry will probably be gone after next season.
And note: Stefanski has coached in 2 playoff games and not 3. He was not the head coach in playoff win in Pittsburgh in 2020-21 season, he had COVID and special teams coach Mike Priefer was the HC in that game. He did prepare the team during the week for the game, but he was not making the coaching decisions during the game outside of the scripted first drive plays as is his custom. He of course deserves the playoff appearance credit, but he was credited with the win that probably should have gone to Priefer.
After so many failed quarterbacks and coaches when does an organization realize maybe they’re the problem and not the talent
Ya its pretty obvious the QB, WR & oline is the issue
KS has done ok with the absolute joke offense hes been handed
He might be happy to move on since it looks like they may be in line for rolling with Shedeur until Watsons contract is up
After the stellar coaching decision I just watched against Cincy, give Stefansky exactly what he wants … fire him in the tunnel after the game
Do NOT Pass GO
Do NOT Collect $200
Just straight up “Boy Bye”