Stefanski Enters Critical Season as Browns Seek Turnaround

Despite a disastrous 3-14 season, Kevin Stefanski has his bosses' backing heading into what could be his most pivotal year as Cleveland Browns head coach.

The two-time NFL Coach of the Year must address significant challenges on both sides of the ball while managing an unsettled quarterback situation heading into training camp. However, Browns ownership has made clear their confidence in the current leadership structure.

"We sat here last year and Kevin was a two time out of four years coach of the year and Andrew was regarded as one of the top executives in pro football," Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said this spring. "So, I don't think they forgot how to coach. I don't think they forgot how to do personnel. There's things both of them can do better. There's things our entire organization could do better."

Haslam acknowledged the severity of last season's collapse while maintaining faith in his leadership team. "It's a little bit of everything that could go wrong did go wrong, but I don't want to make any excuses. They can both do better, but we have high confidence in both of them," he said.

Four quarterbacks are competing for the starting role: veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, along with rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. Stefanski has been cautious about revealing his evaluation process during the offseason program.

"Like I've told you guys, let's not look too much into who's out there when," Stefanski said. "We're in installation phase, we're in teaching phase, so not much to look into."

When asked about establishing a timeline for the quarterback decision, Stefanski emphasized patience. "We're so far away from that type of thought process. Honestly, we're in our installation phase. It's the offseason, it's OTA, so we're going to keep the focus there," he said. "Once you get into training camp, of course, you're getting ready to play games and ultimately getting ready for playing the season, but right now that's not our focus."

The Browns are coming off their worst season since Stefanski's arrival in 2020, when he led the franchise to its first playoff victory in 26 years and earned his first Coach of the Year award. He received the honor again in 2023 after guiding Cleveland to an 11-6 record and another playoff berth.

Stefanski has set clear expectations for training camp intensity, telling players "there is no ramping up" because "we are going" when camp begins. The coach must also navigate Deshaun Watson's continued absence as he recovers from a re-ruptured Achilles injury sustained late in the 2024 season.

Cleveland's defense, which ranked among the NFL's best in 2023, experienced a significant regression last season. The unit that helped earn Stefanski his second Coach of the Year award struggled with consistency and production. Star defensive end Myles Garrett signed a five-year, $123.5 million extension in 2024, creating expectations for immediate improvement rather than a long-term rebuild.

Despite the organizational support, Haslam made clear that expectations remain high for the upcoming season. "We're not expecting another 3-14 year and our expectations are high," he said. "We're going to really get after it this coming year. I mean, nobody wants to go through what we did last year."

The Browns haven't won a playoff game since Stefanski's first season in 2020. With significant talent across the roster and substantial financial investments, the organization expects a return to playoff contention while acknowledging the challenges ahead.

"You have to be realistic," Haslam noted regarding the team's salary cap constraints. "We do have a lot of draft picks. They'll be rookies and it takes a year or two, but we're going to try to win this year."

Stefanski's approach remains methodical despite external pressure, with his focus during the offseason program on fundamental preparation rather than game-planning specifics.

His philosophy has remained consistent throughout his tenure, emphasizing accountability and readiness above all else. "You do not rise to the occasion; you fall to the level of your preparation," Stefanski has told his players, a principle that will be tested more than ever when training camp begins next month.