No decisions have been made on the future of Kevin Stefanski, the two-time NFL Coach of the Year. The Browns know Stefanski can coach, and he has maintained a consistent approach amid the adversity of a transition year with a young roster. But the hard reality is the Browns are 6-25 over the past two seasons, putting everything up for evaluation.
The organization has already undergone a major change this year: chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta, who presided over football matters for 10 seasons remotely from his San Diego home, left the organization last month to become the Colorado Rockies’ president of baseball operations. A Harvard graduate who appeared in the book Moneyball, which was later adapted into the movie of the same title, DePodesta influenced the hires of fellow Ivy Leaguers as head coach (Stefanski) and general manager (Andrew Berry). He also built out one of the NFL’s most robust data and analytics staffs — infrastructure that will largely remain in place, though it’s unclear if his old role will continue to exist.
The Browns’ rookie class has been one of the NFL’s best, and it’ll look even better if quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders can develop into a long-term option. How Stefanski and his staff continue to bring along Sanders will be part of the evaluation over the final three games as Cleveland approaches a QB crossroads. Deshaun Watson is (finally) entering the final year of his $230 million fully guaranteed contract in 2026. And the team has significant draft capital — including two first-round picks — to potentially target another QB in April.
Does owner Jimmy Haslam believe Stefanski is the right coach to bring a young team and young quarterback(s) into the next phase of the Browns’ build? If not, Haslam might opt to move on, and Stefanski would immediately become a top candidate elsewhere.