Browns let go of Kevin Stefanski after two consecutive terrible seasons

Kevin Stefanski Fired as Browns Head Coach

Even after being named Coach of the Year in Cleveland twice, Kevin Stefanski couldn’t escape the axe.

The Browns let Stefanski go on Monday following a disappointing 5-12 season in 2025, marking his tenure record at 8-26, including a rough 3-14 in 2024.

Stefanski initially found success, leading the Browns to the playoffs in 2020 and again in 2023, with a notable win against the Steelers in his first year. However, he couldn’t manage to keep the team above .500 for four of his six seasons, with the last two being particularly challenging.

His exit adds to the ongoing saga of coaching changes in Cleveland, as the franchise keeps searching for the right coach-quarterback duo to create a sustainable winning culture.

At first, it seemed Stefanski might be that solution, but, tragically, a string of poor quarterback performances led to his downfall.

The ill-fated 2022 trade for Deshaun Watson, who signed a lucrative five-year contract worth $230 million, significantly hampered the team. Watson started only 19 games before suffering a severe Achilles injury, which he re-injured this year, finishing with a 9-10 record in those games.

In 2022, Stefanski’s Browns posted a 7-10 record, while big performances from Joe Flacco took them to an unexpected playoff berth at 11-6 in 2023. However, the more recent seasons have been bleak.

Last year, with both Watson and Jameis Winston, the team managed just three wins against 14 losses. This year, attempts with Flacco and rookie quarterbacks like Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders didn’t significantly improve the situation.

Stefanski saw his best days early on, particularly during his first two years alongside Baker Mayfield. The Browns enjoyed an 11-5 record in 2020, marking a return to the playoffs after 26 years, only to fall short against the Chiefs.

The following year, the record dipped to 8-9, missing the playoffs but still indicating some progress compared to the team’s lengthy history of struggles.