Ex-Vikings Coach Could Be in Trouble
Kevin Stefanski worked for the Vikings for 15 seasons before taking over as head coach in Cleveland five years ago. Unfortunately, he could be nearing the end with the Browns, as the writing is on the wall for change and upheaval.
Some former Minnesota Vikings players are thriving around the NFL, but one coach of yesteryear could be on his way out after five years in the big job.
Stefanski surrendered playcalling duties this week, sometimes an indicator that a coach is on borrowed time. It doesn’t help that his team is going nowhere fast.
Former Vikings Coach Kevin Stefanski Could Exit Stage Left
It’s not looking too hot for Stefanski.
Playcalling Surrendered
Stefanski will no longer call the plays on Sundays for his team’s offense.
ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi explained Monday:
For the second consecutive season, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is relinquishing playcalling duties. Stefanski said Monday that offensive coordinator Tommy Rees will call plays Sunday in the team’s road game against the New York Jets. The 2-6 Browns returned from the bye and held a practice Monday. The Browns have the third-lowest scoring offense in the NFL, averaging 15.8 points per game.
Cleveland made a change at quarterback four games into the season, benching the since-traded veteran Joe Flacco for rookie Dillon Gabriel. The move, though, hasn’t been enough to jump-start Cleveland’s offense. Gabriel, the No. 94 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, has completed 59.9% of his passes for 702 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions this season. His 26.8 Total QBR ranks above only Tennessee Titans rookie Cam Ward. Stefanski confirmed that Gabriel would continue to be the team’s starting quarterback, which he said would be the case before the bye.
Often, that switch is the last straw for an embattled head coach.
A Team in a Rut
Finishing a bye week, the Browns are 2-6. Their season is toast, even reverting to rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel, a man with mediocre upside, at best.
The offense? Let’s not mention it. Well, yes — let’s mention it. Cleveland’s offense ranks 32nd in the NFL per DVOA, also known as dead last. And that’s with rookie running back Quinshon Judkins standing off the page in Year No. 1.
Stefanski is handing over playcalling because his offense stinks, and anything better than the current setup might nudge it from the NFL’s basement.
Hot Seat before the Season Even Started
What’s more, Stefanski hot-seat chatter isn’t new to Week 10 of the NFL season.
Before the year began, most knew the Browns wouldn’t do so much of anything — and here they are, 2-6 with the team’s fans eyeing mock draftboards because that’s all they have going for them. Cleveland embarked on the 2025 campaign with Joe Flacco, the aforementioned Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders at quarterback, a self-fulfilling prophecy that is on its way to bad fruition.
All the worst that NFL media feared about the Browns in August, for example, has come true. Stefanski will likely be the odd man out as a casualty — even if he remains a decent head coach. Hell, the guy has won Coach of the Year twice.
Probably Doomed by Deshaun Watson 3 Years Ago
Stefanski’s Cleveland obituary may have been written the moment the franchise traded for Deshaun Watson. The Browns handed Watson a fully guaranteed $230 million contract, brushed the very obvious Watson controversy to the side, and offloaded Baker Mayfield, who is now an MVP candidate in Tampa Bay.
It’s unclear whether Stefanksi wanted Watson, but no matter what, that transaction marked the start of the downward spiral.
The good news for Stefanski? If the Browns give him the axe, he’ll likely find a head coaching gig within a year or two of unemployment.
Browns-Themed Media on the Playcalling Change
The Athletic‘s Zac Jackson on the switch, “When the Browns haven’t been able to run effectively with rookie running back Quinshon Judkins, they’ve struggled to maintain any offensive success. Gabriel threw two interceptions as the Browns got blitzed by the New England Patriots 32-13 in their last game on Oct. 26.”
“From Week 13 last season until this year’s 31-6 win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 7, which was mostly spurred by the Cleveland defense, the Browns went 11 straight games without scoring more than 17 points. Stefanski is a two-time NFL coach of the year and is in his sixth season in charge.”
Cleveland takes on the New York Jets on the road this Sunday. The team’s brass could actually can Stefanski after that contest if the Jets wallop the Browns.
“He has started every season as the team’s play caller and kept the duties this year after promoting Rees from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator in January. Stefanski said Monday that Rees is ‘more than capable. Bottom line is we have to get better collectively.’ Rees previously called plays at Notre Dame and Alabama before he joined the Browns in early 2024. The Browns benched quarterback Joe Flacco after four games and traded him to the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 7,” Jackson added.
“They previously traded Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders in late August after what had been advertised as a four-man competition for the starting job became Flacco clearly winning it. Flacco was eventually benched.”
The Jets are favored by 2.5 points to take down Stefanski’s team this weekend.
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