Depending on who you ask, Kevin Stefanski could be on the hot seat in 2023. Despite being the only non-interim Cleveland Browns head coach with a winning record (26-24) there are those who can't wait to run him out of town if Cleveland doesn't make the playoffs this season.
And if there were a split, one name that could be thrown around a lot is Dabo Swinney from Clemson.
Swinney, who has been with the Tigers for 16 seasons, spent three years with Deshaun Watson and the two won a title together following the 2016 campaign.
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We have heard if #Browns miss playoffs, they will likely "move on" from HC Kevin Stefanski.
One source said "Don't rule out a Dabo Swinney-Deshaun Watson reunion" if that happens.
The duo won a National Championship at Clemson in 2016. pic.twitter.com/phvMdNXAN9
Swinney has a career-winning percentage of just over 80 percent with 161 wins against just 40 losses. Of course, he did just suffer a frustrating loss to Duke to kick off the 2023 campaign but he does have two titles, winning the one with Watson as well as a second in 2018 with Trevor Lawrence under center.
Is Kevin Stefanski really on the hot seat?
Of course, none of this speculation matters at all if the Browns are happy with Stefanski — and every indication is that they are.
Most of the talk of him being on the hot seat has come from outsiders. There aren't reports from those who cover the team suggesting Stefanski is in danger. Instead, the front office appears to be sold on his leadership.
While the Browns did go 7-10 in 2022, they did so with Jacoby Brissett starting for 11 games. Stefanski did a masterful job of building a decent offense around a journeyman quarterback — who, for what it's worth, was unable to beat out Sam Howell for the starting job in Washington.
Now that he has a full season with Watson, it's more likely Stefanski is preparing for an extension than it is that Swinney could be in play.