BEREA, Ohio (AP) — The Cleveland Browns have fired coach Kevin Stefanski after six seasons.
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.
The Browns won their final two games to finish 5-12, including a 20-18 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
The 43-year-old Stefanski is a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year and had a 46-58 overall record. He led Cleveland to playoff appearances in 2020 and 2023. The Browns’ 48-37 victory over Pittsburgh in an AFC wild-card round game at the end of the 2020 season was the franchise’s first since 1993.
“I leave with an immense sense of gratitude. A sincere ‘Thank You’ to everyone who I have been so blessed to work for and with over these six seasons,” Stefanski said in a statement released through the Browns. “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.”
Stefanski is the sixth coach fired since owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam bought the franchise in 2012. The five coaches hired by the Haslams have a 73-139-1 regular-season record, the second-worst mark in the NFL.
The Haslams are not doing a total house cleaning, announcing Andrew Berry will remain as general manager.
Stefanski met with the Haslams on Sunday night after the team arrived from Cincinnati.
“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 Haslams said in a statement.
Stefanski is credited with establishing a positive culture to a franchise epitomized by dysfunction. However, Stefanski was done in by something that has plagued the Browns since their return in 1999 — the lack of a franchise quarterback.
Stefanski had 13 starting quarterbacks during his tenure, including seven the past two seasons. Both were the most in the league.
The Browns thought they had their quarterback in 2022 when they released Baker Mayfield and acquired Deshaun Watson from Houston for five draft picks, including three in the first round.
Instead, the trade for Watson has set the Browns back for years.
Jimmy Haslam said during the league meetings last March that the Browns “took a big swing and miss” with the Watson trade and that “we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole.”
Stefanski was criticized during the season for his early handling of rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The fifth-round pick did not receive any snaps with the first team in practices until he came in for Dillon Gabriel in the second half of a Nov. 16 game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Sanders was the Browns’ starter for the final seven games and went 3-4. He had plenty of growing pains, including working behind a makeshift offensive line and not having his leading rusher or receiver for the final two games.
Cleveland was fourth in the league in total defense as Myles Garrett had 23 sacks, setting the league’s single-season record. However, the offense was 30th and averaged 16.4 points, second-fewest in the league.
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