Stefanski's Fall: How the Two-Time COY Finally Lost His Balance
Fired in 2026 despite a trophy cabinet holding two Coach of the Year awards. We dissect the paradox of Kevin Stefanski's Cleveland tenure, from the playoff highs to the 8-26 collapse that no analytics department could explain away.
The tightrope finally snapped. On January 7, 2026, the Cleveland Browns severed ties with Kevin Stefanski, ending one of the most schizophrenic coaching tenures in modern NFL history. To the casual observer, firing a two-time Coach of the Year (2020, 2023) seems like franchise suicide. But if you’ve been watching the tape—really watching the tape—you know this wasn't a sudden fall. It was a slow, painful slide that began the moment the ink dried on Deshaun Watson's contract.
Let’s cut through the "offensive genius" narrative that’s currently making him the betting favorite for the Atlanta Falcons job. Was Stefanski a victim of a toxic front office gamble, or was he a rigid system manager exposed once the talent advantage evaporated?
⚡ The Essentials
- The Verdict: Fired after a 5-12 season in 2025, following a 3-14 disaster in 2024.
- The Paradox: He leaves Cleveland with more Coach of the Year awards (2) than playoff wins (1).
- The Fatal Flaw: An inability to adapt his "Shanahan-lite" scheme to non-system quarterbacks, culminating in the failed development of Shedeur Sanders.
The Rollercoaster of Mediocrity
Numbers don't lie, but they can certainly mislead. Stefanski's defenders point to the 2020 and 2023 playoff runs as proof of his elite status. I look at the valleys between those peaks and see a coach who couldn't sustain a floor. How does a "guru" oversee the league's 32nd-ranked offense in 2024?
Look at the oscillation. It’s not just inconsistency; it’s a heartbeat that flatlined.
| Season | Record | Offense Rank | The Narrative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 11-5 | Top 10 | The Savior (COY) |
| 2021 | 8-9 | Mid-Tier | The Baker Injury Excuse |
| 2023 | 11-6 | Top 15 | The Flacco Miracle (COY) |
| 2024 | 3-14 | 32nd | The Collapse |
| 2025 | 5-12 | 28th | The End |
The Play-Calling Shell Game
Here is where I get skeptical. In 2024, amidst the offensive implosion, Stefanski handed play-calling duties to Ken Dorsey. The result? A 3-14 catastrophe. In 2025, with his job on the line, he took the headset back. The result? A marginal improvement to five wins, but the offense still looked like it was running on Windows 95 software in a fiber-optic world.
We spent years hearing about his "beautifully designed" play-action game. But when the running game faltered (and Nick Chubb wasn't Superman anymore), the scheme had no answers. The reliance on tight ends and safe throws worked with a veteran like Joe Flacco, who could read a defense in his sleep. But when tasked with developing the rookie Shedeur Sanders late in 2025? The offense looked disjointed, confused, and frankly, boring.
👀 Did Shedeur Sanders save or doom him?
It's the question everyone in Berea is whispering. Sanders started the final seven games of the 2025 season, going 3-4. While he showed flashes, the disconnect was palpable. Stefanski tried to force Sanders into a pocket-passer mold, limiting the improvisation that made him a draft darling. It wasn't Sanders who failed; it was the failure to adapt the scheme to the player—Stefanski's recurring sin.
The Watson Anchor
We cannot write this obituary without addressing the $230 million elephant in the room. Yes, the Deshaun Watson trade was an organizational failure, likely driven by ownership. But a great coach manages around dysfunction. Sean McVay reinvented his offense for Matthew Stafford. Kyle Shanahan wins with whoever is under center. Stefanski? He seemed paralyzed by the Watson constraints, unable to pivot when Plan A (and B, and C) went up in smoke.
Is he a bad coach? No. He’s a competent floor-raiser when the conditions are perfect. But the "elite" label needs to be retired until he proves he can win without an elite offensive line and a top-5 defense carrying the water.
"He piloted the ship well when the waters were calm, but every time a storm hit, he seemed surprised that it was raining." — Anonymous AFC Scout, Jan 2026.
Buyer Beware
Now, the Atlanta Falcons are reportedly lining up to hire him. To Falcons fans, I say this: You are getting a polished professional who will say all the right things at the podium. But ask yourself—are you getting the innovator of 2020, or the rigid tactician who just went 8-26 over his last two seasons? The tightrope walk is over; let's see if he can learn to stand on solid ground.
