In week 13 of the NFL season, the Cleveland Browns collapsed in a 26-8 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Before the Browns unraveled due to poor play-calling and fourth-down decisions, the halftime score was 10-8 in a winnable game. Central to this collapse is head coach Kevin Stefanski; he is holding the Browns back, and it’s time to fire him.
The offense has failed to develop, the playcalling is atrocious and his leadership feels nonexistent. Frustrated fans took to the social media platform, X, during the game, one posting, “#LIKE TO FIRE HIS A– AT THE HALF!!!”
The Browns aren’t Super Bowl contenders, but the blame is shifting from the players to the coach. Shedeur Sanders has shown potential, the defense ranks second in the league and the rookie class shows promise. The pieces are there, but Stefanski has been unable to utilize them. His inability to elevate this talent has become impossible to ignore.
The 2025 rookie class has proven successful and efficient, giving the Browns a rare bright spot. Linebacker Carson Schwesinger, running back Quinshon Judkins and Quarterback Sanders have provided real on-field impact and look like foundational pieces. Judkins is currently third in the offensive rookie of the year race, while Schwesinger is the frontrunner on the defensive side. Despite having talented rookies to build around, Stefanski has failed to put them in positions to succeed.
One of Stefanski’s biggest frustrations this season has been his mishandling of rookie quarterback Sanders, including a failure to prepare him for game action. Sanders didn’t take the field until week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens, and after a shaky performance, Stefanski admitted Sanders had no practice reps with the first-team offense all season. For a backup quarterback, with one play away from entering the game, this neglect is unheard of.
Stefanski doesn’t seem to understand Sanders’ dynamic skillset as a young, talented quarterback. The game against the 49ers fell apart on a fourth-down play in the third quarter, where Sanders was replaced by tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who fumbled a direct snap, leading to a turnover on downs that gave the 49ers good field position.
Browns analysts say Stefanski is “coaching like a man who doesn’t yet trust his rookie quarterback.” Fans agreed, posting comments on X saying, “The Browns need to can Kevin Stefanski and get a coach in there who knows how to actually coach a football team. Shedeur Sanders is your starting QB the rest of the season and potentially longer, so treat him that way and let him DEVELOP.”
Browns analyst Tony Rizzo went further, arguing Sanders isn’t to blame for the loss and accusing Stefanski of having “stabbed” Sanders, proving he’s not the coach to guide Sanders’ growth.
Stefanski’s lack of accountability and overall passive leadership have become difficult to ignore. After the loss to the 49ers, Stefanski didn’t take accountability for the questionable playcall in a winnable game, saying, “I think there’s always the obvious risk when you go for it in those situations… just felt good about the call. Didn’t get it done.”
It’s confusing that Stefanski hasn’t been fired when other coaches in similar situations have already lost their jobs, like the Tennessee Titans, who also have rookie Quarterback Cameron Ward and dismissed head coach Brian Callahan, who had a career record of 4-19.
Browns analyst Mary Kay Cabot says Cleveland’s front office has established Stefanski is “100% totally safe,” being granted some leniency since the Browns have two rookie quarterbacks. This strategy seems to favor a “long-term approach,” rather than a “win now” approach. Still, the early excitement Stefanski brought to Cleveland is gone, “lost among patterns of inconsistent offense and penalty-prone plays.”
Stefanski has accomplishments under his belt, including winning the Associated Press Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2023 and leading the Browns to their first playoff win in 26 years in 2020. After the excitement of the 2023 season wore off, Stefanski has disappointed. He’s 6-23 in the last two seasons, and four of his six seasons in Cleveland have ended with losing records.
While most of the Brown’s issues stem from the damages of the Deshaun Watson trade, that failure doesn’t excuse Stefanski’s shortcomings. Stefanski is no longer the answer to the team's long-term rebuilding strategy. The longer the Browns hold onto him, the longer they sabotage their own progress and jeopardize the few bright spots they’ve managed to cultivate.
Abby Shriver is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Abby about their column? Email them at as064024@ohio.edu
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