The calls for Kevin Stefanski’s job among Cleveland Browns fans have been rampant and, frankly, well-deserved.
While it’s hard for any NFL head coach to win with a roster so heavily reliant on rookies, particularly at the quarterback position, Stefanski has done himself no favors with some in-game decisions that show an obvious lack of feel for the game.
His decision to go for it, for example, on fourth-and-short from his own 33 in Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers made absolutely no sense, as his team was locked in a defensive, 10-8 rock fight at the time, and there was still 7:08 remaining in the third quarter. It looked even worse when tight end Harold Fannin — not quarterback Shedeur Sanders — was the player who took the snap for an apparent sneak attempt, only to fumble the ball away from under center.
Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans produced more head-scratching moments, such as Stefanski’s decision to go for two — and not just kick the extra point — after Sanders’ seven-yard touchdown rush cut a 31-17 deficit to 31-23 with less than five minutes remaining in regulation. The Browns botched the try on a fumbled QB-center exchange, and later failed on a second two-point attempt with about a minute left with a chance to tie the game; that Sanders was once again removed from the equation for a trick play out of the Wildcat formation only riled up Browns fans further.
While Stefanski’s offensive acumen is well respected in NFL circles, he’s just as culpable as anyone within the organization for the team winning six of its last 30 games, dating back to the 2024 season opener.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported this week that a full regime change in Cleveland is unlikely. He does, however, believe a breakup between Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry could be on the table, and one man clearly has a better chance of sticking around than the other.
Kevin Stefanski’s future with the Cleveland Browns just got even cloudier
It would make sense for Browns ownership, led by Jimmy Haslam, to respond to fans’ angst by making a change this offseason. The clearest path forward would be to keep the front office intact, and move on from Stefanski, who now has a 43-54 record over six seasons as head coach of the Browns.
Berry crushed the 2025 NFL Draft, landing potential franchise cornerstones in linebacker Carson Schwesinger, running back Quinshon Judkins, defensive tackle Mason Graham, Fannin Jr., and potentially Sanders as well. He also helped set the franchise up for the future by acquiring a 2026 first-round pick from the Jacksonville Jaguars in their trade up to No. 2 overall to select Travis Hunter.
The GM still deserves his share of the blame pie, howeer, for where the franchise stands at this point. While the Deshaun Watson mess falls mainly on ownership, the team’s lack of talent at key position groups like offensive tackle and wide receiver fall squarely on Berry’s shoulders. Rookies have accounted for over 62 percent of the Browns’ total scrimmage yards (rushing and receiving only) entering Week 15, and the offensive line is aging, banged up, and largely unsigned beyond this 2025 season.
But with Schwesinger poised to win Defensive Rookie of the Year as a second-round pick, and Fannin now just eight receptions shy of setting the Browns’ single-season rookie record, Berry’s position feels far more secure than Stefanski’s entering these final four weeks. According to Breer, the wreckage from what was a good situation back in 2021 could be too much for both men to overcome this offseason.
“Stefanski and Berry inherited a nice young core upon their 2020 arrival, led by, Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Wyatt Teller, JC Tretter, Joel Bitonio, Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi and Denzel Ward,” Breer wrote for SI. “They plugged their biggest hole, at offensive tackle, that offseason, and won 11 games, which matched the team’s highest win total since the 1980s. You could argue that at that point, the franchise was in the best spot it had been in since reentering the NFL in 1999. … To be clear, I believe Stefanski and Berry are still good at their jobs. What I’m less sure of is whether having both is best for the team, given that backdrop.”
Firing Stefanski would give the Haslams options. Most importantly, they would prove to Browns fans that they’re actually serious about winning. They’d also at least create the opportunity for a familiar voice — like Jim Schwartz, perhaps? — to get promoted to head coach and address the rest of the staff accordingly. An inside hire is extremley rare these days (the Cowboys just did one with Brian Schottenheimer, though), but even offensive coordinator Tommy Rees could be worth a look, given reports of how he’s viewed by the Browns internally.
Picturing the Browns with a completely new look and feel — such as bringing in an established tactician like current Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, or Chargers DC Jesse Minter — might be even more palatable to a fan base that’s seen (and heard) enough of Stefanski at this point.
Everything appears to be on the table, from keeping the status quo to wholesale changes starting the first Monday of 2026. Stefanski’s seat, however, feels a lot hotter than his general manager's entering Week 15.