Two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski became the latest coach fired this season after six seasons with the Cleveland Browns, the team announced Monday.
The Haslam family announced the coaching change after Stefanski led the Browns to a 5-12 finish, including Sunday’s 20-18 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
“We have tremendous gratitude for Kevin’s leadership of the Cleveland Browns over the last six seasons,” Managing and Principal Partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. “He is a good football coach and an even better person. We appreciate all his hard work and dedication to our organization but our results over the last two seasons have not been satisfactory, and we believe a change at the head coaching position is necessary.”
The team also confirmed that Browns general manager Andrew Berry will remain with the organization and continue to lead football operations.
“The entirety of our focus is on building a team that brings our fans the success they long deserve, and we will continue to work relentlessly towards that goal and invest whatever resources necessary to build a winning football program. Andrew will immediately begin our thorough process to find an outstanding new head coach and leader of our football team. We have an exciting young core to build upon, and Andrew and his team are intent on adding talent to this core and building out a roster that can achieve sustainable success.”
Stefanski, 43, was first hired by the organization in 2020, where he ended the team’s lengthy playoff drought dating back to 2002. He capped that season with the Browns’ first playoff victory in nearly three decades.
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In his six seasons with the Browns, Stefanski boasted two 11-win seasons and two playoff appearances. He had an overall record of 46-58.
“After six seasons as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, I leave with an immense sense of gratitude,” Stefanski said in a statement provided by the team. “A sincere ‘Thank You’ to everyone who I have been so blessed to work for and with over these six seasons. I’d like to especially thank my coaching staff and the players who did everything that was ever asked of them. They fought through injury and adversity, while always putting the TEAM FIRST. I wish all of you nothing but success.”
Stefanski is the fourth NFL coach fired this season, joining Tennessee’s Brian Callahan, the New York Giants’ Brian Daboll and Atlanta’s Raheem Morris, who was fired hours after the team’s 19-17 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
