The Cleveland Browns are making a huge change to their offense coming out of the bye week. While it's not a quarterback switch from Dillon Gabriel to Shedeur Sanders, it's equally as big a change.
Kevin Stefanski, according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, for the second straight season, is giving up play-calling duties. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is taking over the play-calling responsibilities in Cleveland, the biggest role he's had in his coaching career.
But who is Tommy Rees? The former Notre Dame quarterback, and 33-year-old coordinator has a solid resume that makes for an intriguing change in Cleveland coming out of the bye.
Everything to know about new Browns play-caller Tommy Rees
Rees played four seasons at Notre Dame as a starting quarterback, recording 7,670 yards passing, 61 touchdowns, 37 interceptions, and a 59.8 completion percentage on 1,048 passing attempts in 47 games in his collegiate career.
He went undrafted coming out of college, landing with the Washington Commanders, where he didn't get onto the active roster. In 2015, one year after being in the NFL, he joined Northwestern as a graduate assistant.
In 2016, he joined the Los Angeles Chargers as an offensive assistant for his first NFL coaching opportunity. He then returned to Notre Dame as a quarterbacks coach for three seasons from 2017 until 2019, before getting a large role as the team's offensive coordinator from 2020 to 2022.
In 2023, Rees found his way to Alabama, where he was the offensive coordinator for an SEC-championship team en route to a College Football Playoff appearance. And finally, in 2024, Rees joined the Browns coaching staff.
Last year, Kevin Stefanski handed play-calling duties to OC Ken Dorsey — who was fired at the end of the season.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 3, 2025
This year, Stefanski hands the play-calling duties to OC Tommy Rees with the team sitting at 2-6. Https://t.co/nI4VvRuw3x
The next year, he joined the Browns as a pass game specialist and a tight ends coach. Cleveland's tight ends were productive, as David Njoku led the team in receiving touchdowns with five and was second in receptions with 64. Backup tight end Jordan Akins had a career-high 40 receptions along with two touchdowns.
Jerry Jeudy also had his best season with the Browns, recording 1,229 receiving yards and setting the Browns franchise record for receptions in a season. He also earned his first Pro Bowl nod.
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Jameis Winston also set the Browns' single-game passing yards record with a 497-yard performance at the start of December. All in all, the Browns' passing attack in 2024 was very solid, and Rees received a promotion to the offensive coordinator in the offseason.
And now, coming off the Browns Week 9 bye, Stefanski is handing over play-calling duties to Rees. It's a huge opportunity for Rees, as a strong second half with this Browns offense could be a chance to earn head coaching consideration.
Cleveland averages 174.1 passing yards per game, the fourth-fewest in the NFL. Rees will have a tall task in his first matchup against the New York Jets as he looks to get his NFL play-calling career started on the right foot.
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