After six years in the Browns' head-coaching headset, Kevin Stefanski was handed his walking papers on Monday.
The 43-year-old was dumped following a second-straight dismal season that saw Cleveland finish as one of the league's seven worst sides. Rumors of Stefanski's demise swirled long before his dismissal, with the Browns' struggles since acquiring Deshaun Watson in 2022 making his position effectively untenable.
With a 45-56 record across 101 games in Cleveland, Stefanski is far from the Browns' worst-ever play-caller. In fact, his.440 percentage compares favorably to the.450 mark Bill Belichick flaunted during his time in Cleveland.
Still, a change had to come within the Browns' coaching ranks following the end of another disappointing campaign.
With that, here's what you need to know about Stefanski's departure, as well as potential candidates to fill his role on the sideline.
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Why did the Browns fire Kevin Stefanski?
A two-time NFL Coach of the Year recipient, Stefanski enjoyed moderate success in Cleveland. But wins have proven harder to come by in recent seasons, with the Browns limping to back-to-back double-digit loss campaigns in 2024 and 2025. Stefanski has plenty of admirers across the league. But the consensus belief is that things got stale across his final two years in Cleveland.
Touted as an offensive guru after 14 seasons serving various roles within the Vikings' coaching staff, Stefanski was expected to help build an explosive attack. That hasn't happened as of late — the Browns have consistently ranked among the league's worst sides in yardage and scoring.
According to Sumer Sports, Cleveland ranked second-to-last in the league in EPA/play. They posted the third-fewest yards per game (262.1) and second-fewest points per game (16.4) across the NFL. That isn't all on Stefanski; the Browns' playing personnel doesn't inspire much excitement, even from a fanbase as win-starved as Cleveland's is.
Nevertheless, Stefanski's sides weren't able to produce points with any sort of regularity. While the Browns' defense showed decent flashes, their attack was muddled, meaning that even in a lackluster AFC North, Cleveland couldn't compete.
All is not lost for Stefanski, who remains on the younger side of prospective coaching candidates. He's a popular figure around league circles, with many expecting him to draw interest from other sides in this year's carousel. As for the Browns, they'll search for a new instructor capable of rallying the troops.
After making the move, Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam released a statement thanking Stefanski for his hard work and leadership during his time in Cleveland.
A statement of appreciation from Dee and Jimmy Haslam and insight on the process ahead pic.twitter.com/XrZBNuE3Rv
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 5, 2026
Stefanski also released a statement after the firing. He thanked the organization and the city for the last six years, and wished the Browns nothing but success in their future.
Coach Stefanski's message of gratitude to the team, community and Browns fans pic.twitter.com/Mg6OU0z2bV
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 5, 2026
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Kevin Stefanski replacements
Stefanski's departure leaves puts Cleveland's front office in the unenviable position of searching for a new man to stalk its sideline. There are a few notable candidates who figure to field some calls from the Browns in the coming few weeks and months.
Jim Schwartz
It would be natural for the Browns' front office brass to look elsewhere after going 8-26 in their past two seasons. But Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has quietly emerged as a candidate for the head-coaching seat. Cleveland's defense has performed admirably in recent seasons, proving a solid, if unspectacular unit. Schwartz, a former NFL head coach, is renowned for his defensive chops. Given the current configuration of the Browns' roster, that disposition could prove useful.
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Chris Shula
The Sean McVay coaching tree could bear fruit in Shula, who has made his bones working underneath the famed play-caller in Los Angeles. The Rams defensive coordinator shares a great few similarities with Schwartz, another gifted defensive mind. But Shula has tangible success in recent seasons, having helped develop one of the league's stingiest rearguards.
A handful of McVay's disciples have gone on to find head-coaching success elsewhere after stints on his staff. Shula figures to be the next to get a chance to try his luck with a headset on.
Matt Nagy
Retread candidates aren't always en vogue among NFL fanbases. But Nagy, the former head coach of the Bears from 2018-2021, has rebuilt his reputation during a glistening stint as the Chiefs' offensive coordinator. There's belief around the league that he could land a head-coaching gig in the near future. Although Cleveland's quarterback room remains murky as ever entering into the offseason, the prospect of bringing in another noted offensive mind — especially one of Nagy's pedigree — could prove appealing to general manager Andrew Berry.
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