FIRED: Kevin Stefanski officially out as Browns head coach

Andy McNamara

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FIRED: Kevin Stefanski officially out as Browns head coach image

After six seasons, the curtain finally falls on the Kevin Stefanski era in Cleveland.

The Browns fired their head coach after finishing the season winning back-to-back games, including a 20-18 victory Sunday afternoon over the Bengals in Cincinnati. 

A two-time NFL Coach of the Year award winner, Stefanski is relieved of his duties with a 45-56 record. His squad also appeared in three playoff games, winning one.

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The Haslam ownership group also released this statement:

Rumors had been swirling for weeks over Stefanski's future, and that of general manager Andrew Berry. The two were paired together in 2020 by the now departed chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta.

At the moment it appears that Berry will remain employed by the Browns, but his role could change. 

Stefanski dealt with a lot of difficult situations during his tenure. Navigating Covid-19 in his first year, the Deshaun Watson trade debacle, and being left with two rookies at quarterback this season are just a few of the obstacles.

In the end, the offensive minded Stefanski's offense plummeted from 2024 onward. The Browns scored the second fewest points-per-game in the NFL. Play-calling felt stale, undisciplined player penalties never improved, and the special teams unit became a liability.

Now the hunt for a new head coach begins. It was noted by multiple sources this past week that Cleveland had already begun "preliminary research" on possible candidates.

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Staff Writer