Browns coaching shakeup keeps Andrew Berry, opens door for Jim Schwartz

Aman Sharma

•
Browns coaching shakeup keeps Andrew Berry, opens door for Jim Schwartz image

The Cleveland Browns have reset their leadership structure after consecutive losing seasons, dismissing head coach Kevin Stefanski while keeping general manager Andrew Berry in charge of football operations.

Berry, who was hired alongside Stefanski in 2020, now leads a coaching search shaped by urgency rather than a full teardown.

Cleveland plans to start close to home. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz are both scheduled to interview Thursday, according to cleveland.com.

Berry publicly praised each coach, calling Schwartz “an outstanding football coach” and describing Rees as “a very talented young coordinator” respected across both the NFL and college football.

Rees stepped into play-calling duties in Week 10 after Stefanski handed over the offense. Although he has never served as a head coach, he has already attracted attention from college programs.

Schwartz brings a longer resume, including five seasons running the Detroit Lions, where he finished 29-51 in the regular season. His recent work has rebuilt his standing. Cleveland ranked fourth in the league in total defense, allowing just 283.6 yards per game.

Stefanski, a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, is already meeting with other teams, including the New York Giants and the Tennessee Titans, after Cleveland’s 5-12 finish.

Browns search balances continuity with pressure on Berry

Ownership’s decision to retain Berry while changing coaches reflects a desire to avoid another organizational reset. Ideastream Public Media commentator Terry Pluto suggested Jimmy Haslam resisted repeating past cycles of firing both top decision-makers at once, especially with seven NFL teams hunting for head coaches.

Berry’s recent draft performance factored into that calculus, as did the risk of launching simultaneous searches for a coach and a general manager. Pluto said he did not detect the kind of internal friction that has often preceded previous Browns upheavals.

The numbers, however, left little room for patience. Cleveland managed only eight wins over the last two seasons, and the offense struggled badly despite Stefanski’s reputation on that side of the ball.

The Browns cycled through 13 starting quarterbacks during his tenure, including seven across the past two years, with the fallout from the 2022 trade for Deshaun Watson hovering over the franchise. Stefanski still exits with credibility, having guided Cleveland to playoff appearances in 2020 and 2023. 

Schwartz’s relationship with Berry, dating back to their time together in Philadelphia, adds intrigue. Other names, including Robert Saleh and Joe Brady, are circulating, but the Browns appear focused on leadership traits and possibly a more forceful sideline presence. 

More Browns News:

News Correspondent