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Tommy Rees

Falcons OC Tommy Rees To Call Plays

By | at January 27, 2026 7:16 pm

New Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski was on staff in Minnesota for 13 years before he got an opportunity to call plays in the NFL for the first time as the team’s interim offensive coordinator. After only a year in the full-time role, he was hired to serve as the head coach of the Browns, with whom he would assume primary play-calling duties. In parts of each of the last two years, though, Cleveland has seen Stefanski cede play-calling duties to his coordinators.

For this new chapter in Atlanta, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Stefanski has opted to start the season with his coordinator calling plays. Lucky for him, the offensive coordinator to whom he is ceding play-calling duties to is Tommy Rees, who has a bit of experience calling plays from when he was the offensive coordinator Stefanski ceded play-calling duties to last year in Cleveland.

Rees’ history as a play-caller in the NFL came only in the second half of last year. Before that, his only play-calling experience came with collegiate entities, from his time at Notre Dame and Alabama. After his career as an undrafted NFL quarterback came to a fairly swift end, Rees turned to coaching as a graduate assistant at Northwestern. He made his NFL coaching debut the next year as an offensive assistant for the Chargers before returning to his alma mater to coach quarterbacks at Notre Dame.

At the end of his third year coaching for the Fighting Irish, Rees was given an opportunity to call plays in the team’s bowl game and retained the duties after getting promoted to offensive coordinator for the next season. After three years calling plays for Notre Dame, Rees took over the offensive coordinator job at Alabama for a season before getting hired back to the NFL as the Browns’ pass game specialist/tight ends coach. Following the dismissal of Ken Dorsey, Rees was promoted to his first offensive coordinator job in the NFL.

After the Browns’ bye week, Rees took over play calling, starting out with Dillon Gabriel for two games before moving on to Shedeur Sanders. Working only with rookie quarterbacks, Rees was able to help Sanders to a few strong performances including three impactful wins and a 364-yard day in a loss to the Titans. Following the season’s end, Rees found himself getting some interest as a potential head coach, first interviewing for the job at Penn State before being considered a candidate to replace Stefanski in Cleveland.

Now, in Atlanta, it appears Stefanski is getting out of the way early for Rees, letting him call plays from the onset instead of as a later resort. He’ll get to work with a slightly improved quarterbacks room that features a veteran Kirk Cousins and a recovering Michael Penix Jr. The offense also includes one of the league’s top, young running backs in Bijan Robinson and impressive pass catchers, pending a few contract decisions that will need to be addressed in the offseason. It will be interesting to see what Rees will be able to do in his first full year of calling plays in the NFL with a new group of weapons.

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Falcons Hire Tommy Rees As Offensive Coordinator

By | at January 22, 2026 12:02 pm

JANUARY 22: The Falcons announced on Thursday that Rees’ hire is official. He and Stefanski will now move forward in their new setting and fill out the remainder of the offensive staff.

JANUARY 21: Tommy Rees is set to follow Kevin Stefanski from Cleveland to Atlanta. The Falcons are expected to hire Rees as their offensive coordinator, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The deal isn’t official, but Rees has accepted the job, according to Albert Breer of SI.com.

This was the likely outcome when the Falcons hired Stefanski, previously the Browns’ head coach, on Saturday. Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reported then that the 33-year-old Rees was a candidate to rejoin Stefanski in Atlanta. The pair developed a strong working relationship in their two years together in Cleveland.

Rees interviewed to take over for Stefanski, but this move slams the door on that possibility. It’s obvious Cleveland will select a different head coaching candidate instead.

Formerly a Notre Dame quarterback, Rees got his start as a coach as a graduate assistant with Northwestern in 2015. He later returned to his alma mater to serve as Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach from 2020-22.

Rees worked in the same roles at Alabama in 2023, the last season of head coach Nick Saban‘s remarkable career. He oversaw a breakout campaign from then-sophomore quarterback Jalen Milroe, who’s now a backup with the Seahawks, and then left for the NFL.

After his only year on Saban’s staff, Rees joined the Browns as their tight ends coach and pass game specialist in 2024. Stefanski promoted Rees to offensive coordinator after firing Ken Dorsey last January, but the head coach opened 2025 as the Browns’ play caller. That changed when Stefanski handed the keys to Rees before a Week 10 loss to the Jets. It’s not known yet if they’ll continue with that arrangement in Atlanta.

The Browns’ offense ended the year a horrid 30th in yards and 31st in scoring, but the unit wasn’t exactly teeming with weapons. Although neither Stefanski nor Rees found an answer at quarterback among Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, that wasn’t a major surprise.

The 41-year-old Flacco was brought in as a stopgap, and the Browns wound up trading him to the Bengals in early October. Gabriel, a third-round rookie, struggled mightily before suffering a concussion in Rees’ second game as a play caller. Sanders, a fifth-round rookie, held the reins for the rest of the year. While Sanders performed better than Gabriel, he’s hardly a slam dunk to establish himself as the Browns’ solution under center.

The Falcons have a far more talented offense than the Browns (running back Bijan Robinson and wide receiver Drake London are among the game’s best at their positions), but QB is also a concern in Atlanta. After the 2023 season, former general manager Terry Fontenot made a mammoth free agent investment in Kirk Cousins and then surprisingly used the eighth overall pick on Michael Penix Jr. a little over a month later. Those two remain in place for now, but they’ve offered lackluster production for the Falcons.

Despite inking a four-year, $180MM contract, Cousins didn’t play well enough in his first Falcons season to keep the starting job. Then-head coach Raheem Morris benched Cousins for Penix in Week 16. Penix stuck as the Falcons’ starter this season until he went down with a partially torn ACL in Week 11. That continued a long history of serious injuries dating back to a college career divided between Indiana and Washington.

In the wake of his latest injury, it’s unknown if Penix will be healthy enough to start Week 1 in 2026. That’s assuming the Falcons’ new leaders – president of football Matt Ryan, a to-be-determined general manager and Stefanski – decide to go forward with Penix as the No. 1 option. They’re likely to release Cousins either way.

Along with questions at the game’s most important position, the Falcons’ offense is facing uncertainty at tight end. Kyle Pitts is due to become a free agent on the heels of a second-team All-Pro campaign. After successfully working with tight ends David Njoku and Harold Fannin in Cleveland, Stefanski and Rees may prefer to keep Pitts in the fold.

With Robinson, London and Pitts posting terrific numbers, the Falcons finished a slightly above-average 14th in total offense under coordinator Zac Robinson in 2025. Only eight teams amassed fewer points, though, and Stefanski and Rees will aim for better results next season.

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Falcons Hire Kevin Stefanski As HC

By | at January 17, 2026 11:04 pm

On the day John Harbaugh‘s Giants hire became official, another major domino in the head coaching market is set to fall. Kevin Stefanski‘s next gig has been lined up.

Stefanski is finalizing a deal with the Falcons to become their next head coach, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Stefanski, 43, flew to Atlanta earlier today to meet with team officials. That interview has now produced an accepted offer, as confirmed by a team announcement. This is a five-year deal, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

“We’re thrilled to land a lead-by-example leader in Kevin Stefanski who brings a clear vision for his staff, our team and a closely aligned focus on building this team on fundamentals, toughness and active collaboration with every area of the football operation,” a statement from new president of football Matt Ryan reads.

Ryan’s hire last week represented the first major piece of business for Atlanta. It recently become known the team’s preference was to hire a new head coach before filling the only current general manager vacancy in the NFL. Today’s news thus comes as no surprise. Likewise, the fact Stefanski is set to take charge of the Falcons fits with several reports leading up to his agreement.

At the time of his Browns firing, Stefanski loomed as the top HC candidate on the market. Shortly thereafter, Harbaugh’s dismissal changed the pecking order amongst available staffers. There was a widespread expectation Harbaugh would be the first candidate to take one of the nine available positions in this year’s cycle, with Stefanski soon to follow. In particular, the Giants and Falcons were named as frontrunners in Harbaugh’s case. Stefanski, meanwhile, was seen as Plan B for both teams. Shortly after learning Harbaugh would not be an option, Atlanta’s attention clearly shifted back to Stefanski.

Earlier today, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported Stefanski would be open to retaining Jeff Ulbrich as the Falcons’ defensive coordinator. WFAA’s Ed Werder confirms Ulbrich – who was blocked from interviewing with the Cowboys for their DC opening – is expected to remain in place. Meanwhile, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes former Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is a strong candidate to follow Stefanski to his new home.

As part of a lengthy stint with the Vikings, Stefanski spent one season as the team’s OC. That year cemented his status as one of the top head coaching candidates at the time, and his first HC opportunity came in Cleveland. The Browns won double-digit games twice during his tenure (2020 and ’23). On both occasions, Stefanski took home Coach of the Year honors.

The high points of Stefanski’s Cleveland stint brought about a pair of playoff berths but otherwise it resulted in four losing seasons. Since the start of the 2024 campaign, the Browns have won just eight games. Overall, Stefanski’s six seasons produced a record of 45-56. The Falcons will hope to provide him with a stable QB situation (although with Michael Penix Jr.‘s injury situation, that may prove difficult). In any case, a strong offensive line and a skill-position group headlined by running back Bijan Robinson and receiver Drake London awaits Stefanski.

After Arthur Smith guided them to three consecutive 7-10 seasons, the Falcons made a change on the sidelines. A reunion with Raheem Morris took place during the 2024 hiring cycle. His first year back in Atlanta ended with a finish of 8-9 and extended the team’s playoff drought. Expectations were higher for this season, one which ended on a four-game winning streak to yield another 8-9 mark. Owner Arthur Blank acted quickly once the campaign was over, firing Morris along with GM Terry Fontenot and embarking on the restructuring which has landed Ryan in a position of considerable power.

Stefanski was among the Titans’ HC finalists and was scheduled to conduct a second interview with Tennessee tomorrow. He was also a strong candidate to speak with the Ravens for their vacancy a second time. Those arrangements are now moot, while two of the NFL’s head coaching vacancies have been filled.

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Browns To Conduct Second HC Interviews With Jim Schwartz, Todd Monken

By | at January 16, 2026 9:53 am

Attention around the NFL will soon turn to the matter of second head coaching interviews. In the case of the Browns, one internal candidate will receive another look.

Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is set to interview with the team for a second time, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. The follow-up meeting will take place on Monday, she adds. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees also took part in an initial interview with Cleveland, but Cabot adds he is not expected to conduct a follow-up.

Schwartz has further cemented his status as one of the league’s top defensive minds during his Browns tenure. His unit ranked first in the NFL in yards allowed in 2023 and fourth in that capacity this past season. The 59-year-old has received a number of endorsements from Browns players, and given today’s update the possibility remains Schwartz – whose only other interview to date has been with the Ravens – will become Kevin Stefanski‘s successor.

Schwartz served as an NFL head coach from 2009-13. His Lions tenure produced a record of just 29-51, but subsequent success as a D-coordinator has opened the door to interest in a second HC gig. Expectations would no doubt remain high on defense in Cleveland’s case in the event Schwartz were to take over, but it would be interesting to see how his offensive staff would be filled out in such a scenario.

Another target for a second Browns interview has emerged. During an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast (video link), ESPN’s Peter Schrager reported that Todd Monken is expected to speak with Cleveland once again. The current Ravens offensive coordinator has long been mentioned as a strong candidate to follow John Harbaugh to his next destination. That means a Giants hire in Monken’s case is anticipated by many. According to Schrager, however, arrangements are being made for the Browns to conduct a follow-up interview on Tuesday in Monken’s case.

In 2019, Monken served as Cleveland’s OC. That one-year stint was followed by a successful run at Georgia and three seasons in Baltimore (the first two of which were highly productive). Monken, 59, is a candidate to return to the Buccaneers as their offensive coordinator, pending the status of talks with the Giants he is likely to take part in shortly. The possibility of a head coaching opportunity could of course complicate any potential deal with New York.

Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand for Cleveland:

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Mutual Interest Between John Harbaugh, Browns For HC Job?

By | at January 8, 2026 7:54 pm

John Harbaugh could end up sticking around the AFC North. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Browns are “definitely doing their diligence” on the former Ravens head coach. Interestingly, that interest may be mutual.

Cabot says that Harbaugh is “believed to have legitimate interest” in the Cleveland job, even with their uncertainty on offense. Besides an opportunity to play his former team twice a year, Cabot notes that there a handful of reasons why Harbaugh could be a logical fit for the organization.

For starters, the coach has deep Cleveland roots. Both John and Jim Harbaugh grew up as Browns fans, and their parents even honeymooned at a Browns game. Both of their parents are Ohio natives, with Jack Harbaugh once playing football at Bowling Green. John Harbaugh, of course, ended up tormenting his favorite childhood team throughout his Baltimore tenure, going 27-8 during his 18 seasons as the Ravens head coach (including a 12-5 record in Cleveland).

Next, Harbaugh also has interest in working alongside a pair of Browns coaches. Cabot says that Harbaugh would consider retaining defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, and the former Ravens head coach is also a big fan of offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. That duo already interviewed for the Browns HC opening this week, and Cabot notes that the franchise would love to keep both of the coaches in some capacity depending on the outcome of their search.

Of course, there are also rumblings that Harbaugh would likely recruit Ravens OC Todd Monken to his next stop, per Armando Salguero of Outkick.com. There have been a handful of reports that Harbaugh’s unwillingness to fire Monken in Baltimore may have contributed to his ouster with the Ravens. Interestingly, the Browns requested a head coach interview with Monken.

To top it all off, Cabot notes that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has admired Harbaugh for many years. As the team embarks on a thorough search for a replacement for Kevin Stefanski, Harbaugh would seemingly be the organization’s main target. Of course, Harbaugh likely leads the list for most (if not all) of the HC-needy teams.

Cleveland’s current list of candidates includes:

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2026 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

By | at January 7, 2026 9:50 pm

The Browns, Cardinals, Falcons and Raiders followed the Giants and Titans in firing head coaches, making those calls between the Week 18 conclusion and Black Monday. The Ravens then moved on from John Harbaugh after 18 seasons; two days later, the Dolphins canned Mike McDaniel. Following a wild-card loss, the Steelers and Mike Tomlin are separating after 19 years. Now, after an overtime divisional-round loss in Denver, Sean McDermott is out in Buffalo.

The 10 HC openings are tied with 1978, 1997, 2006 and 2022 for the most in one year. Here are the candidates connected to all those searches. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 2-1-26 (4:00pm CT)

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

12 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New York Giants PFR Originals Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tennessee Titans

Browns To Hold HC Interviews With Jim Schwartz, Tommy Rees; Interview Requested With Bengals’ Dan Pitcher

By | at January 7, 2026 11:52 am

The Browns fired head coach Kevin Stefanski on Monday, but it’s possible his replacement will come from the staff he assembled. The team will conduct head coaching interviews with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees on Thursday, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports.

While the Browns will discuss the position with Schwartz and Rees, they’re also hoping to meet with Bengals O-coordinator Dan Pitcher. The Browns have requested an interview with Pitcher, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

The 59-year-old Schwartz is the lone member of this trio with head coaching experience. He spent five years as Detroit’s head coach from 2009-13, though success largely eluded the franchise during that stretch.

The Lions went 10-6 and earned a playoff berth in 2011, but they missed the postseason in every other year under Schwartz. They fired him after he posted a 29-51 record.

A longtime D-coordinator in Tennessee before he moved to Detroit, Schwartz has worked on defensive staffs with the Bills, Eagles, Titans and Browns since 2014. He won Super Bowl LII as the Eagles’ coordinator in 2017. Schwartz has also enjoyed success since heading to Cleveland in 2023.

The Browns finished tops in the league in total defense in Schwartz’s first season, their most recent playoff campaign. Although the team logged a horrid 5-12 record in 2025, its defense ranked fourth in yardage and 14th in points. Defensive end Myles Garrett, the Browns’ franchise player, set the single-season sack record in taking down opposing quarterbacks 23 times. Garrett has made it clear that he loves playing for Schwartz, which could better the coach’s chances of a promotion.

Schwartz’s defense held its own in 2025, but the same wasn’t true for Rees’ offense. The unit, which didn’t find an answer at quarterback among Joe Flacco (traded to the Bengals in October), Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, racked up the second-fewest yards and third-fewest points in the league. It’s worth pointing out that Rees did not handle play-calling duties the entire way. Stefanski handed him those responsibilities in early November.

A former Notre Dame quarterback, Rees served in prominent coaching roles with the Fighting Irish from 2017-22. Rees worked as their quarterbacks coach before adding O-coordinator duties to his resume in 2020. He held the same positions in 2023 at Alabama, where he was an assistant to Nick Saban in the legendary head coach’s last season.

Rees jumped to the pros the next season when Stefanski brought him aboard as a pass game specialist and tight ends coach. He was a candidate to become North Carolina’s head coach last offseason, but that job went to Bill Belichick.

While the 33-year-old Rees also interviewed for Penn State’s HC vacancy last month, the Nittany Lions chose Matt Campbell instead. A few weeks later, Rees will garner some consideration at the NFL level.

Pitcher, 38, began his NFL career as a scout with the Colts in 2012. He worked under current Browns general manager Andrew Berry, then the Colts’ pro scouting coordinator, for four years. That may give Pitcher an advantage in the Browns’ Berry-led coaching search.

A coach since 2016, Pitcher has spent a decade on the Bengals’ staff. He began as an offensive assistant before later becoming the Bengals’ QBs coach in 2020, Joe Burrow‘s rookie year. Burrow has been one of the league’s premier signal-callers when healthy, though injuries have been a frequent issue. He was fully healthy in 2024, Pitcher’s first season as offensive coordinator. The Bengals had a top 10 offense then.

Burrow missed nine games with a toe injury in 2025, leaving Pitcher to work with Flacco for a six-start stretch. The Bengals ended the year a respectable 12th in scoring and a slightly below-average 17th in yards.

If Pitcher doesn’t land a head coaching job this offseason, it seems likely he’ll remain in Cincinnati. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said Monday that he doesn’t expect to make changes to his staff.

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Michigan Interested In Browns’ Tommy Rees

By | at December 12, 2025 3:03 pm

Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has been under consideration for multiple college head coaching positions over the past year. He was a finalist at North Carolina before the hiring of Bill Belichick last December. Rees interviewed with Penn State earlier this month, but the Nittany Lions chose Matt Campbell instead.

Shortly after finishing as a runner-up to Campbell, Rees is already a candidate for another high-profile college opening. Michigan has interest in the 33-year-old, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. The Wolverines are scrambling to find a replacement for Sherrone Moore, who was stunningly fired on Wednesday over an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

Michigan has not yet set up an interview with Rees. However, it’s “likely” he’d be willing to discuss the position, according to Cabot.

A former Notre Dame quarterback, Rees began his coaching career as a graduate assistant with Northwestern in 2015. He later worked as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Fighting Irish from 2020-22. He served in the same roles at Alabama in 2023, the final season of head coach Nick Saban‘s legendary career. Rees oversaw a breakout campaign from then-sophomore quarterback Jalen Milroe, who’s now a backup with the Seahawks.

After his lone season under Saban, Rees joined the Browns as their tight ends coach and pass game specialist. Head coach Kevin Stefanski promoted Rees to offensive coordinator after firing Ken Dorsey last January.

The Browns rank an uninspiring 29th in scoring and 30th in total offense, but Stefanski has called the plays for most of the season. He gave the keys to Rees ahead of Week 10. Cleveland’s offense has continued to underwhelm, though fifth-round rookie QB Shedeur Sanders has provided an upgrade over third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel since taking over in Week 12. Sanders is coming off a 364-yard, four-touchdown performance in a 31-29 loss to the Titans last Sunday. The Browns put up 412 total yards after amassing under 300 in each of Rees’ first four games calling plays.

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Browns OC Tommy Rees Interviewed For Penn State’s HC Job

By | at December 10, 2025 8:59 am

Penn State ended its drawn-out head coaching search when it lured Matt Campbell from Iowa State last Friday. It turns out Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was also a candidate to take over for the ousted James Franklin. Rees conducted a virtual interview with Penn State last week, according to Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

This isn’t the first time a college program has shown interest in hiring Rees as its head coach. He was a finalist for the North Carolina job before the high-profile Bill Belichick selection a year ago.

Rees, who quarterbacked at Notre Dame from 2010-13, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant with Northwestern in 2015. He rose through the ranks to serve as Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Brian Kelly and Marcus Freeman from 2020-22. Rees held those same positions on Alabama’s Nick Saban-led coaching staff in 2023.

A few weeks after Saban retired, Rees joined Kevin Stefanski‘s staff as Cleveland’s pass game specialist and tight ends coach in February 2024. After finishing 28th in yards and last in scoring a season ago, the Browns fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and promoted Rees to take his place.

The Browns continue to rank near the bottom of the league in points (29th) and yards (30th) this year, but Rees hasn’t called plays for the whole season. Stefanski handled those duties before passing the reins to the 33-year-old Rees in early November.

The Browns have averaged a paltry 17.2 points per game this season, though that number has improved to 19.4 under Rees. They’ve gotten better quarterback play since rookie fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders took over for rookie third-rounder Dillon Gabriel in Week 12. Sanders threw for 364 yards, a season high for the Browns, in a loss to the Raiders last Sunday. The Browns also scored 29 points, their second-highest total of 2025.

The 3-10 Browns have four games left in what has been another disappointing season. Rees could be on the radar of NFL teams with head coaching vacancies after that. However, his preference is to remain with the Browns, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. The Browns want to keep Rees, who’s “viewed as a rising offensive genius,” Cabot writes. Rees is also highly regarded outside the organization, though, and that could make him a name to watch during the upcoming hiring cycle.

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Browns Hand Play-Calling Duties To OC Tommy Rees

By | at November 3, 2025 10:53 pm

Coming out of the Browns’ bye week, Tommy Rees will no longer be a non-play-calling offensive coordinator. Kevin Stefanski is shifting gears, revealing (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) he will hand his first-year OC the call sheet.

This marks the second straight year the two-time Coach of the Year has given up play-calling duties. Barely a year ago, Stefanski gave then-OC Ken Dorsey play-calling responsibilities. The Browns finished 3-14, and Stefanski reclaimed the role he had otherwise held since 2020. Cleveland’s offense is scuffling again, and the team’s 33-year-old OC will be sending Dillon Gabriel the plays beginning in Week 10.

The Browns rank 30th in scoring and 31st in both total offense and EPA per play. Gabriel is averaging a nonfunctional 4.9 yards per attempt, doing so after Joe Flacco was demoted with a 5.1-yard average per pass. The Browns have shown no signs they are considering another benching at QB; instead, Stefanski has again benched himself. The 2-6 team will hope this can ignite the third-round rookie.

Rees called plays at Alabama during his 2023 OC season, Nick Saban‘s last in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide ranked 24th in points per game in Saban’s finale, a 12-2 season. Jalen Milroe‘s first year as Alabama’s starting QB produced better numbers — from a passing standpoint — than his second. The eventual Seahawks third-rounder averaged 10.0 yards per attempt as a sophomore and completed 65.8% of his passes. In 2024, those numbers dipped slightly, though Milroe’s rushing work bettered his 2023 numbers in that department.

Stefanski, who hired Rees as his tight ends coach in 2024, giving up play-calling duties in back-to-back years certainly does not provide a portrait of HC stability in Cleveland. It is worth wondering if the Browns simply have poor quarterback talent, as Stefanski’s offense has worked with Flacco (2023 version) and Baker Mayfield at the controls.

Despite Deshaun Watson being at the helm for much of the 2023 season, the Browns ranked 10th offensively. They hovered between 14th and 20th during Stefanski’s first three seasons, with Mayfield’s final healthy Cleveland campaign (2020) producing a 14th-place ranking and the franchise’s first playoff berth since 2002. Cleveland’s offense has been unreliable, outside of Flacco 1.0, since Mayfield’s 2021 shoulder injury.

Jimmy Haslam has largely taken ownership of the Watson trade, even though GM Andrew Berry said he and Stefanski were both onboard with it at the time. The catastrophic misstep would seemingly have both power brokers on hot seats, but the once-trigger-happy owner has stuck with this partnership — which is now in Year 6. The Browns not turning things around during the second half will invite more scrutiny about the state of their HC-GM duo, but for now, Stefanski will try another play-calling switch to provide a spark.

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