As the Cleveland Browns began their Week 12 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers during Thursday Night Football, one thing was on the mind of many Browns fans - this game may be Kevin Stefanski's last as head coach.
It's a topic that's picked up steam since the Browns' loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 11, especially since their bread and butter - their defense - seemed to give up completely in the fourth quarter. That's never a good sign for your leadership or your control over the locker room, and that definitely fanned the flames on Stefanski's alleged hot seat.
That's the thing, though. Those rumors have always been alleged. Stefanski, a prior Coach of the Year, has never shown signs of wavering as the leader of the team, and no player has ever shown signs of giving up on him. In fact, Stefanski has gotten flack for defending Jed Wills Jr. recently despite Wills digging a hole for himself in front of fans.
Regardless of that, though, Stefanski is likely here to stay. And, if there was any additional confirmation needed to that effect, look no further than Ian Rapoport's recent comments to NFL GameDay before kickoff in Week 12.
The Insiders on @NFLGameDay Kickoff with @MikeGarafolo: The latest on several decisions facing the #Browns. pic.twitter.com/M7KZ7JR53b
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 22, 2024
Rapoport tells Mike Garafolo in this clip that "this has not been the kind of season of season the Cleveland Browns wanted," but adds that "Kevin Stefanski did not forget how to coach."
"Same guy who took the Browns to the playoffs a couple of years ago, same guy who took the Browns to the playoffs with Joe Flacco as the starting quarterback last year. The NFL is crazy, you never wanna say never. As close to never as you could possibly say, that's my understanding of the chances of Kevin Stefanski not returning to the Browns."
Stefanski deserves a shot with a real roster
A shared sentiment amongst those who understand that the Browns have simply been dealt a terrible injury hand is that Stefanski has also not been given a chance to partner with a legitimate QB1 so far. Deshaun Watson was supposed to be that, but assuming that Watson comes back shaky and even more immobile than he was in 2024 given his Achilles injury, the Browns really need to consider getting a new QB this offseason.
Read more: Browns pass on QB, OL for once in a generation athlete in 2025 NFL Mock Draft
Beyond QB, though, their offensive line is in need of some serious love. Whether that means trading back to land a bonafide starter on day one on the line or using their trove of picks to revive their line entirely, they have to focus on that position alone come April 2025. If Stefanski can't work with that, then we can start having tough conversations about his time in Cleveland.