Lead: The Cleveland Browns dismissed head coach Kevin Stefanski on Monday in Berea, Ohio, ending a six-season tenure that produced two playoff appearances but a 5-12 finish this year. Owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam made the announcement after the team closed the season with two straight wins, including a 20-18 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The move comes amid mounting frustration over offensive inconsistency and only eight wins across the past two seasons, even as general manager Andrew Berry remains in place. Stefanski departs with a 46-58 record and two AP Coach of the Year honors.
Key Takeaways
- Kevin Stefanski was fired Monday after six seasons; his coaching record in Cleveland was 46-58, with playoff berths in 2020 and 2023.
- The Browns finished 5-12 in the season’s final standings, winning the last two games including a 20-18 win over Cincinnati.
- Owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam will begin a coaching search; this marks their sixth head-coach hire since buying the team in 2012.
- Andrew Berry will remain general manager; Berry and Stefanski signed multiyear contract extensions in June 2024.
- The franchise averaged 16.4 points per game (30th in the league) while ranking fourth in total defense; Myles Garrett recorded a league single-season mark with 23 sacks.
- Deshaun Watson has played 19 games for Cleveland (9-10 as a starter), posting 19 TDs, 12 INTs and an 80.7 passer rating; he missed the most recent season rehabbing a torn Achilles.
- Rookie Shedeur Sanders started the final seven games (3-4), and the Browns hold two first-round picks in the upcoming draft, including the No. 6 overall selection.
Background
The Haslam ownership era, beginning in 2012, has been defined by frequent coaching changes and uneven on-field results. Since the purchase, the organization has made six head-coach hires, and the group of coaches hired during the Haslams’ tenure carried a combined 73-139-1 regular-season record before Stefanski’s dismissal. Stability has been elusive in Cleveland, where the search for a franchise quarterback has shaped personnel decisions for more than two decades.
Stefanski arrived as head coach with a reputation for player-first culture and offensive acumen; his teams reached the postseason in 2020 and again in 2023. The 2020 wild-card win over Pittsburgh, 48-37, was Cleveland’s first playoff victory since 1994 and represented a high point for the modern era. But front-office gambles — notably the 2022 trade for Deshaun Watson that cost five draft picks — shifted the team’s trajectory and constrained roster-building options.
Main Event
The team informed Stefanski of the decision Monday morning in Berea. Team statements confirmed the firing and thanked Stefanski for his contributions; ownership said the choice followed a review of the team’s progress. Jimmy Haslam told reporters he had been weighing the decision over time rather than responding to a single moment, framing the move as a response to the club’s overall body of work.
Ownership elected to keep Andrew Berry as general manager, signaling a willingness to change the coaching leadership without an immediate front-office overhaul. Berry, who joined the Browns in 2019 and was promoted to GM in 2020, emphasized appreciation for Stefanski’s role in the club’s recent achievements while noting the organization did not see sufficient progress in controllable areas.
On the field, the Browns closed the season 5-12 after winning their final two games; Cleveland’s offense struggled all year, ranking 30th in points per game at 16.4. Cornerback Denzel Ward said teammates believe the roster is capable of better results and that changes were necessary to get the franchise moving in a different direction.
Analysis & Implications
At the center of Cleveland’s recent instability is the quarterback position. Stefanski started 13 different quarterbacks during his tenure, and the team has not found a durable, long-term starter since the late 1990s. The Watson trade was intended to deliver that long-sought franchise signal-caller, but injuries and limited availability — Watson has appeared in 19 Browns games with a 9-10 record as a starter — have undermined that plan and left roster holes created by the cost of the deal.
Shedeur Sanders’ late-season starts (three wins and four losses) provided some developmental hope but also illustrated the challenges he faced behind a makeshift offensive line and with key skill players sidelined. Whether Sanders’ performance convinces the front office he is a long-term answer will be a central question in the offseason evaluation and in the matching process for a new head coach.
Retaining Andrew Berry suggests the Browns will prioritize continuity in roster construction even as they seek a different on-field leader. That choice constrains and focuses the coaching search: the next hire must collaborate with Berry on scheme, personnel and a quarterback development plan while working under the scrutiny of a patient-but-demanding ownership group.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Stefanski (head coach) | 46-58, 2 playoff berths (2020, 2023) |
| Team offense | 30th, 16.4 points per game |
| Team defense | 4th in total defense |
| Myles Garrett | 23 sacks (single-season league mark) |
The data underline a club with defensive elite performance but offensive shortfalls. High-end defensive production, led by Garrett’s sack total, contrasts sharply with low scoring output, which helps explain ownership’s decision to seek a new coach who can revitalize the offense and stabilize the quarterback position.
Reactions & Quotes
Team and league figures responded quickly; the remarks below highlight both gratitude and the rationale behind the change.
“We all owe him a debt of gratitude and appreciation for a level of success that he brought the organization that really hadn’t been achieved since 2002.”
Andrew Berry, Cleveland Browns general manager (official statement)
Berry thanked Stefanski for past achievements while explaining the decision as rooted in limited progress in controllable areas. The GM’s remarks framed the firing as part of an evaluation of long-term trajectory rather than a reaction to the closing wins.
“I think those decisions tend to be made over a period of time…You’ve got to look at the body of work, and sometimes it’s just time for a change.”
Jimmy Haslam, Browns owner (news conference)
Owner Jimmy Haslam told reporters he had reached the decision after a broader assessment rather than a specific breaking point, emphasizing the cumulative nature of the evaluation and the organization’s desire to move in a different direction.
“I showed different pieces in different games to all add up to one complete quarterback. I feel like this was a good learning year for me.”
Shedeur Sanders, rookie quarterback (player statement)
Sanders acknowledged rookie growing pains but framed the season as a developmental step. His comments set up a central debate for the offseason: whether Sanders’ upside is enough to make him the focal point of the team’s next head-coach hire.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Kevin Stefanski will be quickly rehired elsewhere in the NFL remains unconfirmed; media reports expect him to be a candidate for openings, but no deal is official.
- The future of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is not finalized; the Browns have said they will consider him for the head-coach search, but his retention is not confirmed.
- The Browns’ definitive quarterback plan — including Deshaun Watson’s roster status and whether Shedeur Sanders will be the 2026 starter — has not been publicly settled.
Bottom Line
The Browns’ decision to part ways with Kevin Stefanski reflects a franchise at a crossroads: elite defensive production and one of the league’s top pass-rushers are counterbalanced by chronic offensive inconsistency and an unsettled quarterback room. Ownership opted for a coaching change while keeping Andrew Berry to preserve continuity in personnel strategy, signaling a belief that the solution lies with a different on-field leader rather than a wholesale front-office rebuild.
Searching for a head coach will now force hard choices about scheme, quarterback development, and how to use valuable draft capital. With two first-round picks coming in April and high expectations from stars like Myles Garrett, the next hire must both stabilize the offense and convince elite players that the team is committed to winning immediately.