The Cleveland Browns firing of head coach Kevin Stefanski after yet another failure of a season revealed once again why the team remains terrible: The refusal by the Browns ownership to admit responsibility for the lack of success.<\/p>\n
That was the take Tuesday on the Today in Ohio podcast <\/a>Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cI was so disappointed in this,\u201d Quinn said on the podcast. \u201cThis was a chance for Jimmy Haslam to actually show some integrity and character. He should have stood up and said, \u2018Folks, this isn\u2019t Kevin Stefanski\u2019s fault. It\u2019s my fault. I did the Watson deal. No sooner did I hire him as coach than I saddled him with the worst quarterback trade in the history of the NFL.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The firing of Stefanski, who coached the Browns to two playoff appearances in six seasons\u2014more than the franchise had achieved in the previous 27 years\u2014represents a familiar pattern under Haslam ownership. As host Laura Johnston pointed out, \u201cThis is the sixth coach the Haslams have fired since taking over the team in 2012. Doesn\u2019t that say something about them?\u201d<\/p>\n Podcast hosts noted that Stefanski is widely regarded as a talented coach who succeeded despite significant challenges, including having to work with 13 different quarterbacks during his tenure. Notably, though, the Haslams forfeited the team\u2019s future with a disastrous, controversial trade for Deshaun Watson, giving away years of needed draft picks for a quarterback who never made a difference.<\/p>\n Quinn argued the Haslams would have shown grace by taking responsibility for their failures rather than making Stefanski the scapegoat. Instead, the Browns continue a cycle that defines the franchise since the Haslams bought the team. Johnston noted that the decision to retain general manager Andrew Berry while firing Stefanski raised further questions about the organization\u2019s direction and accountability structure.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere are the days when people had some steel in their spine and some humility and would stand up and own their mistakes?\u201d Quinn asked. \u201cEveryone knows this: This failure of a team is squarely on the Haslams. Just admit it, apologize for it, and stand by the guy that you\u2019ve never given the players to actually win with, and build him a team.\u201d<\/p>\n The timing of the announcement also struck a sour note, coming just a day after defensive end Myles Garrett set an all-time sacks record\u2014a rare bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season. \u201cIt was a moment of triumph followed by a moment of abject shame,\u201d Quinn said.<\/p>\n