{"id":658574,"date":"2026-01-06T14:01:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T14:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/658574\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T14:01:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T14:01:12","slug":"at-first-glance-browns-strategy-appears-aimless","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/658574\/","title":{"rendered":"At First Glance, Browns Strategy Appears Aimless"},"content":{"rendered":"

CLEVELAND, Ohio (TheOBR.com<\/a>) Good morning, Cleveland Browns fans!<\/p>\n

THE DAILY BLOVIATION<\/p>\n

When I started the OBR back in the 1990s, it was, to no small degree, a response to the anger I had felt when the Browns were stolen by the City of Baltimore in 1995. I figured that, if the theft of the team had such an emotional impact on me and others, then the return of the team should be celebrated as well.<\/p>\n

I wasn\u2019t a football coach. I had never played the game on any competitive level. I was just a fan of the team, working as a business consultant, and had no plans to make the site my vocation or sole source of income as it is today. All of which goes to say that, unlike the others on the OBR, I don\u2019t bring any special knowledge of football to the table, although I\u2019ve picked a few things up over the years.<\/p>\n

Where I do have some expertise is in software development and, more importantly, business and management. In a nearly two-decade business consulting career, I got the chance to see machinations among client managers and C-level execs up close, saw many mistakes being made and, less frequently, overt successes. I had some successes and failures of my own.<\/p>\n

The long transition from consultant to small-business owner has been full of struggles, which I\u2019ve survived to date. This is a very competitive racket with everyone from big corporations to individuals with Substacks to fans with Twitter accounts anxious to play in the arena.<\/p>\n

All of which goes to say that I look on the Cleveland Browns\u2019 decision to move on from Kevin Stefanski less as a football move and more as a snapshot of a highly profitable (but still somehow struggling) business in action.<\/p>\n

The NFL is no \u201cnormal\u201d business. It\u2019s a tolerated and de facto monopoly – the only legitimate American football business in existence. It competes with other sports and college football to some extent, but it has a unique cache and no real competition in its space. As a franchise owner, it\u2019s nearly impossible to fail because of the salary cap and guaranteed TV money. The rules and organization of the league, from the NFL Draft to schedule-making, are designed to provide balance and allow even the worst-run franchises to succeed at various points.<\/p>\n

The worst thing that can happen to a team\u2019s franchise owner isn\u2019t bankruptcy or even low margins; it\u2019s simply failure to compete on the field of play. The inability to maintain at least a near-average record over time reflects a special situation in which the team\u2019s decision-making is consistently poor.<\/p>\n

Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns and the changes we saw yesterday. The Browns record in this respect is awful, with Jimmy Haslam\u2019s won-loss record being close to that of the New York Jets\u2019 Woody Johnson, generally recognized as the league\u2019s most inept franchise.<\/p>\n

The Cleveland Browns may ultimately get lucky (they\u2019re overdue) and thrive as a result of yesterday\u2019s decision. They may find the perfect coach for them. I certainly hope so. Still, I find the decision-making flawed on several levels.<\/p>\n

Reactive, Not Proactive: The team\u2019s stated reason for firing Kevin Stefanski was purely reactive: The team didn\u2019t win enough games, so a change was needed, goes the logic. There doesn\u2019t appear to be a plan beyond Andrew Berry gathering some smart people around him and finding a new coach who will hopefully solve the franchise\u2019s problems, including its chronic quarterback issue. There\u2019s no plan in place, beyond the team hoping to find \u201cthe guy\u201d who will turn things around, and the very wide list of candidates to date isn\u2019t overtly promising. If you\u2019re going to cancel \u201cPlan A\u201d, having some sense of \u201cPlan B\u201d helps. The Browns will be throwing a Hail Mary to try to land a transformative coach despite having one of the least desirable positions available by any objective measure.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s No Vision for the Outcome: I\u2019m not getting any sense from either Haslam or Berry that there\u2019s any vision for what kind of team they want to construct or the type of leadership required. GM Berry mentioned some leadership attributes he\u2019s looking for – a segment of business-speak which could as easily be applied to a search for a Chief Operating Officer as a head coach. Without a clear vision of what type of team or specific coaching attributes they want to aspire to, there\u2019s no real way to narrow the search for the \u201cright guy\u201d or even to get a sense of what attributes the hire should have beyond being a \u201cgood leader\u201d. <\/p>\n

Not Understanding the True Root of the Problem: I find the team\u2019s leaking rationales to members of the media, such as \u201cas a new voice was needed,\u201d to be the basest form of management, crawling back to industry bromides without considering how the situation developed. Kevin Stefanski was burdened with a dearth of talent on offense and no answer at the team\u2019s most important position: Quarterback. Part of this was due to poor personnel moves over the years, most prominently (but not only) the Deshaun Watson disaster. Even before 2022, the team struggled to find an answer at this position, indicating a wholesale management replacement would probably make more sense than singling out the coach. Will a new coach magically solve the problem? I guess that he won\u2019t, unless the true cause of the issue – poor and defensively lopsided talent acquisition – is suddenly much better than it has been (which Haslam seems to be relying on with his emphasis on the 2025 off-season and promises to focus on offense).<\/p>\n

I believe that this is a case of a frustrated owner issuing a dictate for change without knowing what form that change should take. Change. Win more. Now go off and do it, Andrew Berry.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the sort of decision-making that, in my opinion, rarely yields a good result. The coaching search will be pressed for time, as the new coach is expected to weigh in on a range of matters before March, while also building a new coaching staff and learning about the organization already in place. It\u2019s the sort of situation that usually results in a step back before any forward progress can be made. One has to assume that a plan has been put in place for weeks to reach another other conclusion. I see no evidence that this is the case. <\/p>\n

There is no Drake Maye awaiting a new coach, nor a supporting organization with a reputation for doing things exceptionally well. It\u2019s like going all in in Texas Hold-em without having a straight flush in hand – just a pair of queens – and hoping that things will turn out alright.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m unimpressed with the decision-making here, but, like all Browns fans, it\u2019s my job to clear my memories of past poor decisions and embrace whatever the new hope looks like. Maybe the 27th time will be the charm. Maybe we\u2019ll get lucky.<\/p>\n

Luck. Hope. That\u2019s the strategy. Let\u2019s go.<\/p>\n

Have a good one! GO BROWNS!<\/p>\n

Newswire Bloviation Archive<\/a><\/p>\n

OBR GOODIES<\/p>\n

OBR VIDEO<\/p>\n

Cleveland Browns Two-Minute Check-In: Stefanski Fired<\/a> – (youtube.com)<\/p>\n

Gang of Three: Search and Rescue Mission?<\/a> – (youtube.com)<\/p>\n

OBR ARTICLES<\/p>\n

Cleveland Browns Stock Up\/Down – 2025 Season Defensive Players<\/a> – Jack<\/p>\n

Browns Shedeur Sanders Said He has Aspects of His Game that Add Up to One Complete QB<\/a> – Fred<\/p>\n

Cleveland Browns Shedeur Sanders Accuracy Charting Week 18 Update<\/a> – Sam<\/p>\n

Cleveland Browns Fire Kevin Stefanski Two-Time NFL Coach of the Year after Six Seasons; Andrew Berry Stays<\/a> – Fred<\/p>\n

Cleveland Browns News and Rumors 1\/5\/26: Just Get It Right<\/a> – Barry<\/p>\n

MESSAGE BOARD POSTS<\/p>\n

ASK THE INSIDERS<\/a> (VIP<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Stefanski and desire for Watson…<\/a><\/p>\n

Off the wall draft scenario<\/a><\/p>\n

Leader of men ?<\/a><\/p>\n

Early names to watch<\/a><\/p>\n

Coaching search – offense or defense?<\/a><\/p>\n

Pete – Schwartz and the DC Concern<\/a><\/p>\n

Flacco\u2019s play in Cincy<\/a><\/p>\n

Coaching search<\/a><\/p>\n

Early names to watch<\/a><\/p>\n

Scheme and coaching<\/a><\/p>\n

Doug Pederson?<\/a><\/p>\n

Vance Joseph???<\/a><\/p>\n

Do you think<\/a><\/p>\n

ST Coordinator a possible \u201coff the beaten path\u201d candidate?<\/a><\/p>\n

Are Kyler Murray or Tua in play?<\/a><\/p>\n

Selling the HC job to candidates<\/a><\/p>\n

Berry talking about Watson<\/a><\/p>\n

Wild card rounddraft slots<\/a><\/p>\n

Will the hierarchy change now?<\/a><\/p>\n

Cleveland Browns – Lack of Discipline on Stefanski?<\/a><\/p>\n

Question for Lane re; Haslam keeping Berry<\/a><\/p>\n

Now that Stefanski is gone what about Schwartz and the defense?<\/a><\/p>\n

Haslam on Talent Level; Your reactions?<\/a><\/p>\n

HC candidates after the firing of Stefanski?<\/a><\/p>\n

Callahan squared for the offense?<\/a><\/p>\n

Bubba still has a job?<\/a><\/p>\n

Lane….candidate pool and has Haslam learned anything<\/a><\/p>\n

Lane Follow Up<\/a><\/p>\n

Head Coaching Candidates<\/a><\/p>\n

Another Stefanski question?<\/a><\/p>\n

At one point did Stefanski lose ownerships support?<\/a><\/p>\n

Question for lane-Stefanski update?<\/a><\/p>\n

Question for all insiders-FA agressiveness level?<\/a><\/p>\n

Stefanski out Berry staying<\/a><\/p>\n

Berry staying: impact on job perception<\/a><\/p>\n

What would it take to get Cignetti to take Browns HC job?<\/a><\/p>\n

INSIDER DISCUSSION<\/a> (VIP<\/a>)<\/p>\n

LIVE BLOG: Browns Dismiss Kevin Stefanski!<\/a><\/p>\n

THE WATERCOOLER<\/a><\/p>\n

2026 NFL Mock Draft Simulator<\/a><\/p>\n

Browns need to find their Stephen Vogt<\/a><\/p>\n

HC hires who you would be excited about<\/a><\/p>\n

1st round caliber QB a must or it doesnt matter who the HC is<\/a><\/p>\n

Berry Coaching Ties<\/a><\/p>\n

Place your bets on who will be the next HC<\/a><\/p>\n

HC Hires That Will Make You Throw The Remote AT The TV<\/a><\/p>\n

OT: You can tune a fish but…..<\/a><\/p>\n

One Word Monday!<\/a><\/p>\n

Owners keeping failed GMs<\/a><\/p>\n

We\u2019d have the #1 pick\u2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Confirmed: Stefanski fired<\/a><\/p>\n

Where are we now?<\/a><\/p>\n

Some interesting points from CBS Sports Jonathan Jones<\/a><\/p>\n

Dude Wipes<\/a><\/p>\n

Who Wanted Watson?<\/a><\/p>\n

Confirmed: Stefanski fired<\/a><\/p>\n

LiveWire Thread for 15 – Twitter, Video, Articles<\/a><\/p>\n

THE LIFTPositive news from the world of sports and beyond…<\/p>\n

Anti-Aging Drug Regrows Knee Cartilage in Major Breakthrough That Could End Knee Replacements<\/a> – (goodnewsnetwork.org)<\/p>\n

Interesting medical development here which could help ex-football athletes live better lives as the knee restores itself.<\/p>\n

WRAPPING UP<\/p>\n

When not bemoaning his lost PowerPoint skills, Barry McBride is the Publisher and Founder of the OBR and bloviates this nonsense every morning. You can follow him on Twitter @barrymcbride<\/a> or write him at barry@theobr.com<\/a> if you are so compelled. <\/p>\n

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