A comical theme that rears its head often in NFL circles is recency bias. A team may be 0–11, but a six-game win streak toward the end of the season seems to make an owner think twice. Perhaps teams like the New York Giants wanted to not fall into this trap, canning their coach, Brian Daboll, after a miserable 2–8 start.
The Browns chose to stick it out with Kevin Stefanski throughout an equally difficult season, and he just may be engineering the turnaround that leads to him extending his stay in Cleveland by at least another year. Over the last two weeks, these feisty Browns hung in there in an eventual heartbreaking loss to the playoff-bound Buffalo Bills.
Not to be outdone, they handed their division rival, the Steelers, an "L" in what was essentially a playoff game for the stinky towel wavers. They did this without Quinshon Judkins, their top runner, as well as an injury-ravaged offensive line that has been snakebitten all year long.
That says a lot about how this team is fighting for their head coach. While it sometimes seems like NFL owners make decisions by shaking a Magic 8-ball — or collaborating with a homeless person — Stefanski has a strong case of adverse circumstances to defend the team's performance.
For starters, the team is technically on their fourth-string quarterback. Shedeur Sanders got his chance after middling performances from Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel. Deshaun Watson was never cleared to play — a blessing in disguise for Browns fans — but it's hard to imagine Stefanski wouldn't have rolled with him to start the season if he was able to.
Kevin Stefanski's been hamstrung by a weak roster (and it's not all his fault)
Now, a hypothetical question for anyone reading this. Imagine, for a moment, you're one of the country's top 32 chefs. The owner of the renowned restaurant you work for asks you to make him the most spectacular lasagna money can buy. You're thinking to yourself: "Pfft. Lasagna? Lasagna's my middle name! This'll be easy."
Then, the kicker: he gives you saltine crackers, a banana, and a cup of spoiled milk. Now, I'm no culinary expert, but outside of some kind of wizard, there's nothing you'll be able to do. You can burn the midnight oil coming up with different configurations, plans, and ideas, and each one will make you sick, regardless.
Kevin Stefanski is that chef. He could draw up game plans that are up there with the game's brightest minds, and it won't matter if his guys can't execute them. The mastermind is only brilliant when he can bring his wildest ideas to life.
Stefanski's done it before. He's coordinated a top-10 offense before; he's coached 1,000-yard runners and wide receivers. He's coaxed Pro Bowl campaigns from offensive players built for it.
If the Browns choose to cut bait with their sixth-year head coach, it won't come as a shock. The reality, though, is that the very foundation is broken. Giving Kevin Stefanski another year with an improved cast will undoubtedly yield a more successful season — it can hardly get any worse! — the man has proven his chops; the Browns just need to let him cook.