- The Cleveland Browns fired Kevin Stefanski after six seasons and a 45-56 record.
- Stefanski is the favorite for two coaching vacancies.
- The Browns now have to figure out a new coach, and Shedeur Sanders’ role.
The Cleveland Browns parted ways with head coach Kevin Stefanski, who won’t be out of a job for long, as he is favored to take over two teams.
The Browns now need a new head coach, and to figure out if Shedeur Sanders is their starting quarterback going forward.
Stefanski Is Favored Candidate in Two Open Coaching Vacancies
Stefanski was a part of the annual “Black Monday” custom in the NFL, the day after the season ends, and coaches lose their jobs.
The Browns have had three seasons of .500 or better since 2003. Stefanski led the team to two of those seasons in 2020 and 2023. He also won Coach of the Year in both of those seasons. The Browns also have their lone playoff win since 1994 under the 43-year-old.
However, Stefanski probably won’t be a part of the NFL head coaching carousel for long. He is the odds-on favorite to take the vacated jobs for the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons. Stefanski is also on the board for Las Vegas and Tennessee, although any team with an opening should consider him.
Stefanski would like to go to a team that has a stable quarterback situation. His best QB was Baker Mayfield in 2020, and the Deshaun Watson signing is a disaster, on and off the field. 2020 is the only season in which Stefanski was able to start just one quarterback. He started three this past season, when the Browns finished 5-12.
Will Shedeur Sanders Be the Starter in Cleveland Next Season?
After Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel, fellow first-year player Shedeur Sanders got his chance, and was somehow the best of the bunch. The fifth-round pick completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards in eight games, with seven touchdowns and ten interceptions. He also ran for 169 yards and a score. Sanders found out about Stefanski’s firing shortly before speaking to the media on Monday.
Sanders had his struggles, as he held onto the ball too long, much like he did in college at Colorado under his father, Deion Sanders. But he was also the best scrambling quarterback on the Browns, and Sanders has the best arm of the three QBs in Cleveland.
That said, the Browns are going to hire a new head coach. San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is the odds-on favorite, but Cleveland would do well with someone like Buffalo offensive coordinator Joe Brady. Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen has nothing but kind words to say about Brady, who helped Allen win the NFL MVP next season.
It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for Sanders, one of the more high-profile low-round picks in recent memory. There is a lot to learn for the 23-year-old, who showed glimpses of his talent during his eight-game run as the starter. But will the Browns be patient with him, or will Sanders have to go elsewhere to prove himself in the NFL?
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